tranquil
Americanadjective
-
free from commotion or tumult; peaceful; quiet; calm.
a tranquil country place.
- Antonyms:
- agitated
-
free from or unaffected by disturbing emotions; unagitated; serene; placid.
a tranquil life.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See peaceful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tranquil
First recorded in 1595–1605; earlier tranquill, from Latin tranquillus “quiet, calm, still”
Explanation
When a place or your state of mind is peaceful, quiet and serene, it is tranquil. Like a pond with no ripples, tranquil means calm and placid. A pleasant state of mind, with nothing to agitate or cause anxiety, can also be considered tranquil. As you struggle through your yoga poses, the teacher might annoyingly exclaim how tranquil you should be feeling, and when you and your siblings bicker over every little thing, your parents are wishing the house were more tranquil.
Vocabulary lists containing tranquil
Unit 1: Telling Details
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List 5
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“From the exceptional central kitchen to the spacious theater area and tranquil massage space, every detail exudes sophistication,” an Instagram post shared by the listing agent stated.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
The sea is sometimes so tranquil that Captain Hassan Khan forgets his ship has been stuck in the middle of a war zone for three months.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
But funnily enough, that specific scene was the most tranquil and quiet set I’ve experienced.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
A small bridge on a road parallel to my road had collapsed, and the town, while trying to get it fixed, had decided to run a detour through my previously tranquil two acres.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 11, 2026
The back is relatively tranquil, stacks of fedoras and berets arrayed on curved wooden shelves.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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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.