Peace — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈpēs/

Meaning & Definition of Peace

Peace (noun)

  1. a state of tranquility or quiet
  2. freedom from civil disturbance
  3. a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom

Peace (verb)

  1. to be, become, or keep silent or quiet

Peace (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state without war

    "after a long and bitter war, the troubled region finally achieved peace"

    similar: peacefulness
    related: accord, amity, concord, harmony, calm, quiet, serenity, tranquility, order, stability, pacification
    opposite: war
    near: conflict, contention, discord, dissidence, strife, trouble, tumult, turmoil, unrest, upheaval, fighting, warfare, action, battle, combat

  2. freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions

    "a light, humorous novel that is good for putting my mind at peace right before I go to sleep"

    similar: calm, calmness, heartsease, peacefulness, placidity, sereneness, serenity, tranquility
    related: content, contentment, ease, comfort, consolation, relief, solace, quiet, quietude, repose
    opposite: agitation, alarm, anguish, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, uneasiness, vexation, worry
    near: care, concern, perturbation, strain, stress, tenseness, tension, consternation, desperateness, desperation, discomfort, discomposure, dismay, distraction, distress, disturbance, edginess, jitters, jumpiness, nervousness, fear, fearfulness, torment, upset, doubt, dread, foreboding, incertitude, misgiving, presentiment, suspense, uncertainty

  3. a state of freedom from storm or disturbance

    "the eerie peace after a tornado"

    similar: calm, calmness, hush, peacefulness, placidity, quiet, quietness, quietude, repose, restfulness, sereneness, serenity, still, stillness, tranquility
    related: lull, pause, respite, silence, mildness, soothingness, comity, concord, harmony, casualness, easygoingness, informality, laid-backness, relaxedness
    opposite: bustle, commotion, hubbub, hurly-burly, pandemonium, tumult, turmoil, unquietness, unrest, uproar
    near: clamor, din, noise, racket

  4. peaceful coexistence

    "can't we all just live in peace?"

    similar: chime, comity, compatibility, concord, harmony
    related: amity, companionship, compatibleness, congeniality, fellowship, fraternization, friendship, collaboration, reciprocity, symbiosis, agreement, consensus, unanimity, cohesion, cohesiveness, unity, affinity, connection, empathy, kinship, oneness, rapport, solidarity, sympathy, understanding, peacefulness, sereneness, serenity, sweetness and light, tranquility
    opposite: conflict, discord, dissension, variance
    near: antagonism, antipathy, enmity, hatred, hostility, unfriendliness, alienation, breach, divorce, estrangement, rupture, schism, scission, severance, dissent, dissidence, anarchy, disorder, disturbance, strife, turmoil

Related Entry: Peace offering (noun)

Peace offering is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for peace offering, not for peace.

  1. as in bribe, sop

    similar: bribe, douceur, sop, advance, loan
    opposite: bestowal, comp, donation, donative, fairing (British), freebie, gift, giveaway, handsel, lagniappe, largesse, present, presentation, alms, benefaction, beneficence, benevolence, charity, contribution, dole, handout, oblation, offering, philanthropy, tithe, box (British), care package, foy (chiefly Scottish)

Related Entry: Peace offerings (noun)

Peace offerings is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for peace offerings, not for peace.

  1. as in bribes, sops

    similar: bribes, douceurs, sops, advances, loans
    opposite: bestowals, comps, donations, donatives, fairings (British), freebies, gifts, giveaways, handsels, lagniappes, largesses, presentations, presents, alms, benefactions, beneficences, benevolences, charities, contributions, doles, handouts, oblations, offerings, philanthropies, tithes, boxes (British), care packages, foys (chiefly Scottish)

Related Entry: Peace officer (noun)

Peace officer is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for peace officer, not for peace.

  1. as in police officer, man

    similar: bobby (British), bull (slang), constable (chiefly British), cop, copper, flatfoot (slang), fuzz, gendarme, lawman, officer, policeman, police officer, shamus (slang), detective, dick, gumshoe, hawkshaw, inspector, investigator, plainclothesman, sherlock, sleuth, sleuthhound, constabulary, heat (slang), man, police, police force, operative, private detective, private eye, private investigator, marshal, sheriff, trooper, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, patrolman, policewoman
    opposite: civilian

Related Entry: Peace officers (noun)

Peace officers is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for peace officers, not for peace.

  1. as in police officers, men

    similar: bobbies (British), bulls (slang), constables (chiefly British), coppers, cops, flatfeet (slang), fuzzes, gendarmes, lawmen, officers, policemen, police officers, shamuses (slang), detectives, dicks, gumshoes, hawkshaws, inspectors, investigators, plainclothesmen, sherlocks, sleuthhounds, sleuths, constabularies, heat (slang), men, police, police forces, operatives, private detectives, private eyes, private investigators, marshals, sheriffs, troopers, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, patrolmen, policewomen
    opposite: civilians

Related Entry: At peace (phrase)

At peace is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for at peace, not for peace.

  1. free from emotional or mental agitation

    "She finally felt at peace after resigning from a job that didn't make her happy."

    similar: calm, collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, equal, level, limpid, peaceful, placid, possessed, recollected, sedate, self-composed, self-possessed, serene, smooth, together, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unruffled, unshaken, untroubled, unworried
    related: even, even-keeled, steady, well-adjusted, well-balanced, imperturbable, nerveless, unflappable, unshakable, centered, disciplined, equable, self-contained, self-controlled, affable, breezy, devil-may-care, easygoing, happy-go-lucky, laid-back, loosey-goosey, mellow, carefree, nonchalant, unconcerned, assured, confident, self-assured, aloof, detached, dispassionate, indifferent, bovine, impassive, phlegmatic, sober, stolid, relaxed, relieved, tranquilized
    opposite: agitated, discomposed, disturbed, flustered, perturbed, unglued, unhinged, unstrung, upset
    near: anxious, bothered, distressed, uneasy, unquiet, unsettled, worried, jittery, jumpy, nervous, restless, skittish, tense, high-strung, unstable, uptight

Related Entry: Justice of the peace (noun)

Justice of the peace is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for justice of the peace, not for peace.

  1. as in chief justice, circuit judge

    similar: chief justice, circuit judge, squire, adjudicator, beak (chiefly British), bench, court, judge, jurist, justice, magistrate, auditor, master, jurisconsult, jurisprudent

Related Entry: Justices of the peace (noun)

Justices of the peace is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for justices of the peace, not for peace.

  1. as in chief justices, circuit judges

    similar: chief justices, circuit judges, squires, adjudicators, beaks (chiefly British), benches, courts, judges, jurists, justices, magistrates, auditors, masters, jurisconsults, jurisprudents

Related Entry: Hold (verb)

Hold is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for hold, not for peace.

  1. to have or keep in one's hands

    "this casserole dish is too hot to hold, so grab a potholder"

    similar: clench, cling (to), clutch, grip, hang on to, hold on to
    related: bear, carry, bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, grab, grapple, hook, land, latch (on or onto), nab, nail, seize, snap (up), snare, snatch, take, trap, feel, finger, handle, paw, clasp, embrace, grasp, hug, cradle
    near: drop, give, hand, unclasp, unhand, cede, deliver, give up, hand out, hand over, release, relinquish, render, turn over, yield

  2. to continue to have in one's possession or power

    "she, and she alone, held the keys to the mysterious chest"

    similar: keep, reserve, retain, withhold, hang on to, hold on to
    related: conserve, guard, preserve, protect, save, boast, enjoy, have, own, possess, command, control, detain, direct, manage, rule, bear, harbor, cherish, cling (to), hug, treasure
    opposite: give up, hand over, release, relinquish, surrender, yield
    near: abandon, cede, drop, contribute, donate, give, hand out, discard, dump, decline, reject, repudiate, spurn, lose

  3. to have as an opinion

    "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal"

    similar: allow (chiefly Southern & Midland), believe, conceive, consider, deem, esteem, feel, figure, guess, imagine, judge, reckon (chiefly dialect), suppose, think
    related: regard, view, accept, perceive, depend, rely, trust, assume, presume, presuppose, surmise, conclude, deduce, infer
    near: distrust, doubt, mistrust, question, suspect, disbelieve, discredit, reject

  4. to have within

    "the mysterious chest held an ancient book on magic spells and potions"

    similar: bear, boast, contain
    related: accommodate, fit, take, case, encase, enclose, encompass, harbor, house, lodge, shelter

  5. to keep in one's mind or heart

    "still held her close to his heart, though they had long parted"

    similar: bear, cherish, entertain, harbor, have, nurse, hang on to, hold on to
    related: cultivate, foster, nurture, support, sustain, carry, keep, maintain, preserve, remember, retain, treasure, cleave (to), cling (to), hug, stick (to), brood (about or over), fixate (on or upon), obsess (about or over)
    near: disregard, drop, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, abjure, decline, deny, disdain, refuse, reject, repudiate, scorn, abandon, desert, discard, forsake, give up, part (with), quit, renounce, throw out, erase, expunge

  6. to keep, control, or experience as one's own

    "the same family has held this piece of land for over 100 years"

    similar: command, enjoy, have, own, possess, retain, rejoice in
    related: keep, reserve, withhold, bear, carry, boast, show off, sport
    opposite: lack, want
    near: abandon, cede, disclaim, disown, hand over, relinquish, renounce, surrender, yield, discard, dump, decline, reject, repudiate, spurn, need, require

  7. to make or have room for

    "the couple needed to rent a hall that would hold 300 people"

    similar: accommodate, fit, take
    related: carry, contain, seat, enclose, encompass, enfold, harbor, house

  8. to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms

    "please hold my arm on these slippery stairs"

    similar: clasp, grasp, grip, take, hang on to, lay hold of
    related: clench, cling (to), clutch, hold on (to), catch, nab, seize, snatch
    near: discharge, drop, free, liberate, release, deliver, entrust, give, hand, hand over, pass, relinquish, transfer, transmit, turn over, unhand

  9. to think of in a particular way

    "held to be the best blueberry pies in the state"

    similar: account, call, consider, count, esteem, look (on or upon), rate, reckon, regard, set down, view, take for
    related: believe, deem, feel, sense, think, conceive, fancy, imagine

  10. to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)

    "we managed to hold our laughter until we got outside"

    "hold your temper until you hear the whole story"

    similar: bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, govern, inhibit, keep, measure, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame
    related: bottle (up), choke (back), hold back, mince, muffle, pocket, repress, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, swallow, arrest, interrupt, stop, block, hamper, handcuff, hinder, impede, obstruct, gag, muzzle, silence
    opposite: lose
    near: liberate, loose, loosen, unleash, air, express, take out, vent

  11. to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal

    "held the camera on the actor throughout the scene"

    similar: aim, bend, cast, direct, head, level, pinpoint, set, train
    related: sight, bear, face, concentrate, focus, incline, orient, steer
    near: avert, curve, deflect, detour, divert, rechannel, shunt, sidetrack

Related Entry: Hold one's tongue (phrase)

Hold one's tongue is a different word from Peace. The synonyms below are for hold one's tongue, not for peace.

  1. to stop talking

    "There are times when it is more prudent to hold your tongue than to express your opinion."

    similar: belt up (British), clam up, dry up, dummy up, hush, pipe down, quiet (down), shut up
    related: calm (down), cool (down), settle (down), haw, hem
    opposite: speak, talk
    near: pipe up, sound off, speak out, speak up, spout (off), talk up

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Peace

The most common words with a similar meaning to Peace:

peacefulness, calm, calmness, heartsease, placidity, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, hush, quiet, quietness, quietude, repose, restfulness, still, stillness, chime, comity, compatibility, concord, harmony

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Peace

Words with the opposite meaning of Peace:

war, agitation, alarm, anguish, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, uneasiness, vexation, worry, bustle, commotion, hubbub, hurly-burly, pandemonium, tumult, turmoil, unquietness, unrest, uproar, conflict, discord, dissension, variance

Related Words for Peace

accord, amity, order, stability, pacification, content, contentment, ease, comfort, consolation, relief, solace, lull, pause, respite, silence, mildness, soothingness, casualness, easygoingness, informality, laid-backness, relaxedness, companionship, compatibleness, congeniality, fellowship, fraternization, friendship, collaboration

Near Antonyms of Peace

contention, dissidence, strife, trouble, upheaval, fighting, warfare, action, battle, combat, care, concern, perturbation, strain, stress, tenseness, tension, consternation, desperateness, desperation, discomfort, discomposure, dismay, distraction, distress, disturbance, edginess, jitters, jumpiness, nervousness

Word Forms of Peace

Inflections: peaced, peacing, peaces

Origin & Etymology of Peace

Middle English pees, from Anglo-French pes, pees, from Latin pac-, pax; akin to Latin pacisci to agree pact

First known use: 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Peace

Words & Phrases Containing Peace

peace corps, peace dividend, peace offering, peace officer, peace pipe, peace sign, peace symbol

Frequently Asked Questions about Peace

What does "Peace" mean?

"Peace" means a state of tranquility or quiet. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a state of tranquility or quiet. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Peace"?

Other words for "Peace" include peacefulness, calm, calmness, heartsease, placidity, sereneness, serenity and tranquility. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Peace" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Peace"?

There are 69 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Peace". Common alternatives include peacefulness, calm, calmness, heartsease, placidity, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, hush and quiet.

What is the opposite of "Peace"?

Antonyms of "Peace" include war, agitation, alarm, anguish, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension and apprehensiveness. Near antonyms include contention, dissidence, strife and trouble.

How do you use "Peace" in a sentence?

Examples of "Peace" in a sentence: "after a long and bitter war, the troubled region finally achieved peace"; "a light, humorous novel that is good for putting my mind at peace right before I go to sleep"; "the eerie peace after a tornado".

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

"Peace" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Peace" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Peace" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Peace"?

"Peace" is pronounced /ˈpēs/.