a systematic philosophy, dating from around 300 b.c., that held the principles of logical thought to reflect a cosmic reason instantiated in nature.
(lowercase) conduct conforming to the precepts of the Stoics, as repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain.
indifference to pleasure and pain
(capital) the philosophy of the Stoics
See patience.
If you rarely show emotion or feeling, that’s stoicism. Your stoicism helps you endure physical or emotional discomfort without complaint, a helpful trait for long car trips with annoying people. The noun stoicism, pronounced "STOW-ih-siz-um," comes from Stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophical school, which taught that reason could overcome destructive emotions for a more virtuous life. Having great control over one’s emotions and responding calmly to misfortune are the marks of stoicism. If you take the good and the bad in stride without drama of any kind, your stoicism is admirable.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It might be her most personal yet, finding inspiration in a philosophy she uses to sustain her spirit: Stoicism.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
The philosophic movements that emerged soon after Diogenes’ time, Stoicism and Epicureanism, aimed to help adherents overcome the fear of death.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025
He urged Bhogal to schedule group video calls to discuss rationalism, Stoicism and effective altruism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2024
Stoicism, with its emphasis on living in harmony with one's true nature, calls individuals to embrace their inherent rationality and moral compass, allowing them to make choices aligned with their highest values.
From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2024
With the Renaissance revival of Stoicism the word ‘philosophical’ acquired a new meaning: philosophers, it was held, were able to moderate their passions and to be unmoved by the blows of fortune.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
While Metcalf’s Linda adopts a facade of stoicism to shield her family from the grief erupting in her, Abbott’s Biff is forced to reveal the broken man behind the defiant veneer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026
"Unfortunately for him, he discovered once he went to sea that he was seasick, but with his typical stoicism he stuck at it," his daughter said.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Luciano brought relief to a profession where stoicism is regarded as next to godliness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
I’m usually a loyalist to the cornmeal-swirled muffin — I love that little grainy grit, the way it reins in lush summer fruit with a bit of prairie stoicism.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2025
Toward the end of 2006, when Terryl first approached Jackie outside of gymnastics and asked how she might help, Jackie showed typical stoicism and said: “I think we’re good.”
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
