Synonyms for still
- adjective
- verb
- adverb
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Quiet — not moving; calm
quiet, motionless, calm, placid, unruffled, standing, stagnant, tranquil, stock-still, dead, unmoving, smooth, peaceful, stationary, steady, serene, quiescent, pacific, halcyon, fixed, unmoved, lifeless
Other
Verb
1. Ease
ease, appease, settle, quell, soothe, pacify, allay, alleviate, relieve, soften, assuage, mitigate, compose
Adverb
1. But — nevertheless
but, however, even so, nevertheless, though, all the same, none the less, notwithstanding
2. Yet — to an even greater degree. Used to modify comparative adjectives or adverbs
3. Always — always; invariably; constantly; continuously
Definitions
- adj. 1
Not moving; calm.
Sit there and stay still!
- adj. 2
Uttering no sound; silent.
- v. 1
To calm down, to quiet.
- adv. 1
To an even greater degree. Used to modify comparative adjectives or adverbs.
Tom is tall; Dick is taller; Harry is still taller / Harry is taller still.
Related words
- Word family
- still-hunt stillness stillsome stillth stilly still-green stillage stillhouse
- Phrases
- still and all still water stand still stock-still still frame still image still picture still and anon
- Other spellings
- styll
Forms
- Past participle
- stilled
e.g. stilled → eased, appeased, settled, quelled…
Choose the right word
We speak of a calm sea, a placid lake, a serene sky, a still night, a quiet day, a quiet home. The star of the unconquered will, He rises in my breast, Serene, and resolute, and still, And calm, and self-possessed.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- dead Happy is she who marries the son of a dead mother.
- standing She was standing on a ladder painting the ceiling.
- stagnant Stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- motionless Stefan shut his eyes and just lied there motionless.
- incessant Incessant taunting in childhood can be traumatic.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| still | rising | |
| dead | rising | |
| standing | rising | |
| stagnant | steady | |
| motionless | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- but1, yet1, low1, yit
- 4 letters
- even2, ever2, dead1, soft1, flat1, calm1, dumb1, ease1, mute1, hush1, lull1
- 5 letters
- quiet2, fixed1, quell1, allay2
- 6 letters
- always2, though1, silent2, smooth1, settle2, steady2, static2, soften2, serene2, soothe1, placid2, stifle2, hushed1, pacify3
- 7 letters
- however3, pacific3, silence2, relieve2, compose2, appease2, unmoved2, halcyon3, assuage2, quieten
- 8 letters
- standing2, peaceful2, suppress2, inactive3, mitigate3, stagnant2, lifeless2, tranquil2, unmoving
- 9 letters
- alleviate4, uniformly4, incessant3, inaudible4, quiescent3, unruffled3, soundless, noiseless
- 10 letters
- stationary4, invariably5, motionless3
- 11 letters
- unremitting4
- 12 letters
- nevertheless4, consistently4
- 15 letters
- notwithstanding4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (even2 = 2 syllables).