Calming — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective noun

Meaning & Definition of Calming

Calming (verb)

  1. to become calm —usually used with down
  2. to make calm —often used with down

Calming (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress

    "a calming glass of warm milk"

    similar: comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, sedative, soothing, tranquilizing
    related: hypnotic, opiate, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, deadening, depressant, numbing, antianxiety, antidepressant, antidepression, antistress
    near: painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, unsettling, worrisome, energizing, invigorating, stimulant, stimulating, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, grating, harassing, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, troublesome, vexatious, vexing

Calming (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in soothing, salving

    similar: salving, soothing, appeasement, assuagement, decrease, diminishment, mitigation, moderation, mollification, alleviation, comfort, ease, release, relief
    opposite: discomfort, unrest, agony, anguish, misery, suffering, torment, torture, ache, pain, pang, prick, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge

Calming (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to free from distress or disturbance

    "the president's reassuring words did much to calm the public during the national emergency"

    similar: becalming, composing, lullabying, lulling, quietening (chiefly British), quieting, salving, settling, soothing, stilling, tranquilizing
    related: appeasing, conciliating, hushing, mollifying, pacifying, placating, allaying, alleviating, assuaging, easing, laying, mitigating, quelling, relaxing, relieving, solacing, narcotizing, sedating, stupefying
    opposite: agitating, discomposing, disquieting, disturbing, keying (up), perturbing, upsetting, vexing
    near: aggravating, heightening, intensifying, arousing, exciting, fomenting, inciting, rousing, stirring (up), working up

  2. to gain emotional or mental control of

    "he calmed himself before continuing the eulogy"

    similar: collecting, composing, containing, controlling, re-collecting, settling
    related: holding back, restraining, rallying, recovering, lulling, quieting, soothing, stilling, tranquilizing

Related Entry: Calm (verb)

Calm is a different word from Calming. The synonyms below are for calm, not for calming.

  1. to free from distress or disturbance

    "the president's reassuring words did much to calm the public during the national emergency"

    similar: becalm, compose, lull, lullaby, quiet, quieten (chiefly British), salve, settle, soothe, still, tranquilize
    related: appease, conciliate, hush, mollify, pacify, placate, allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, lay, mitigate, quell, relax, relieve, solace, narcotize, sedate, stupefy
    opposite: agitate, discompose, disquiet, disturb, key (up), perturb, upset, vex
    near: aggravate, heighten, intensify, arouse, excite, foment, incite, rouse, stir (up), work up

  2. to gain emotional or mental control of

    "he calmed himself before continuing the eulogy"

    similar: collect, compose, contain, control, re-collect, settle
    related: hold back, restrain, rally, recover, lull, quiet, soothe, still, tranquilize

Related Entry: Calm (down) (verb)

Calm (down) is a different word from Calming. The synonyms below are for calm (down), not for calming.

  1. to become still and orderly

    "the sea finally calmed down, making it safe for small craft to venture forth once again"

    similar: chill out (slang), cool, hush, pipe down, quiet, settle (down), cool it
    related: dry up, relax, tranquilize, unwind, zone out
    opposite: act up, carry on, cut up
    near: clown (around), fool around, horse around, monkey (around), show off, skylark

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Calming

The most common words with a similar meaning to Calming:

Chiefly British: quietening
comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, sedative, soothing, tranquilizing, salving, appeasement, assuagement, decrease, diminishment, mitigation, moderation, mollification, alleviation, comfort, ease, release, relief, becalming, composing, lullabying, settling, stilling, collecting, containing, controlling, re-collecting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Calming

Words with the opposite meaning of Calming:

discomfort, unrest, agony, anguish, misery, suffering, torment, torture, ache, pain, pang, prick, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge, agitating, discomposing, disquieting, disturbing, keying (up), perturbing, upsetting, vexing

Related Words for Calming

hypnotic, opiate, analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, deadening, depressant, numbing, antianxiety, antidepressant, antidepression, antistress, appeasing, conciliating, hushing, mollifying, placating, allaying, alleviating, assuaging, easing, laying, mitigating, quelling, relieving, solacing, narcotizing, sedating, stupefying, holding back

Near Antonyms of Calming

painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, unsettling, worrisome, energizing, invigorating, stimulant, stimulating, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, exasperating, frustrating, galling, grating, harassing, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, troublesome, vexatious, heightening, intensifying, arousing, exciting, fomenting

Word Forms of Calming

Inflections: calmed, calms

Origin & Etymology of Calming

First known use: 14th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Calming

What does "Calming" mean?

"Calming" means to become calm —usually used with down. As an a verb, an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: to become calm —usually used with down. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Calming"?

Other words for "Calming" include comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing and sedative. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Calming" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Calming"?

There are 66 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Calming". Common alternatives include comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, sedative, soothing and tranquilizing.

What is the opposite of "Calming"?

Antonyms of "Calming" include discomfort, unrest, agony, anguish, misery, suffering, torment and torture. Near antonyms include painful, stressful, tiresome and troubling.

How do you use "Calming" in a sentence?

Examples of "Calming" in a sentence: "a calming glass of warm milk"; "the president's reassuring words did much to calm the public during the national emergency"; "he calmed himself before continuing the eulogy".

Is "Calming" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Calming" can be used as a verb, an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Calming"?

First known use: 14th centuryi.

What is another word for "Calming" meaning "tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress"?

When "Calming" (adjective) means tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress, synonyms include comforting, dreamy, lulling, narcotic, pacifying and quieting.