Peaceful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Peaceful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. inclined to live in peace and to avoid war

   "a peaceful tribe that had quietly inhabited these shores for centuries before the arrival of the Europeans"

   similar: dovish, pacific, pacifist, peaceable
   related: irenic, nonaggressive, nonbelligerent, noncombative, unaggressive, unwarlike, antimilitarist, antimilitaristic, antiviolence, antiwar, calm, mild, neutral, quiet, relaxed, serene, tranquil, affable, amiable, amicable, benevolent, genial, gentle, kind, kindly, submissive, yielding
   opposite: bloodthirsty, hawkish, martial, warlike
   near: militarist, militaristic, aggressive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, discordant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, antagonistic, argumentative, fierce, gladiatorial, hostile, hot-tempered

2. not involving violence or force

   "UN officials struggled to find a peaceful solution to the troublesome conflict"

   similar: nonviolent, peaceable
   related: bloodless, conciliatory, irenic, pacific, peacemaking, nonbelligerent, unaggressive, unassertive, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, pacifying, placating, calming, quieting, soothing
   opposite: forced, violent
   near: armed, martial, militant, military, warlike, aggressive, assertive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, quarrelsome, antagonistic, argumentative, fierce, gladiatorial, hostile, tempestuous, volcanic

3. free from disturbing noise or uproar

   "a peaceful house, now that the kids are all grown and departed"

   similar: arcadian, calm, hushed, placid, quiet, restful, serene, still, stilly, tranquil
   related: noiseless, silent, soundless, mute, speechless, wordless, dead, motionless, quiescent, muffled, muted, quieted, dull, gentle, low, soft, ultraquiet
   opposite: boisterous, clamorous, clattery, deafening, loud, noisy, raucous, rip-roaring, roistering, romping, rowdy, tumultuous, unquiet, uproarious, woolly
   near: crazy, tempestuous, wild, blaring, blasting, booming, earsplitting, piercing, roaring, thundering, thunderous

4. free from storms or physical disturbance

   "a peaceful lake"

   similar: calm, halcyon, hushed, lown (dialect), placid, quiet, serene, still, stilly, tranquil, untroubled
   related: balmy, clement, equable, gentle, mild, moderate, temperate, clear, cloudless, fair, rainless, sunny, sunshiny, windless
   opposite: agitated, angry, inclement, restless, rough, stormy, tempestuous, turbulent, unquiet, unsettled
   near: blizzardy, blustery, squally, windy, extreme, foul, intemperate, nasty, severe

5. free from emotional or mental agitation

   "the patient is peaceful and resting comfortably"

   similar: calm, collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, equal, level, limpid, placid, possessed, recollected, sedate, self-composed, self-possessed, serene, smooth, together, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unruffled, unshaken, untroubled, unworried, at peace
   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