sedate

1 of 2

adjective

se·​date si-ˈdāt How to pronounce sedate (audio)
: keeping a quiet steady attitude or pace : unruffled
sedately adverb
sedateness noun

sedate

2 of 2

verb

sedated; sedating

transitive verb

: to dose with sedatives
Choose the Right Synonym for sedate

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous.

serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

Examples of sedate in a Sentence

Adjective We walked the beach at a sedate pace. He remained sedate under pressure. Verb The doctor sedated the patient heavily.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Last week, Japan announced a surprise snap election in which popular discontent with the governing LDP party following a widespread corruption scandal, twinned with a cost-of-living crisis, led to a dramatic result in the usually sedate Japanese political landscape. Steven Desmyter, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Her jewelry shifts from sedate heirlooms to big, bold costume pieces. Gavia Baker-Whitelaw, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
The MacBook and Mac mini have traditionally avoided the iPhone's rainbow of color options, usually sticking to sedate bare metal and gray or silver finishes. Brian Westover, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024 Her research entailed working with rhinos that had been sedated and fitted with radio collars, a process so stressful that some females slowed their reproduction or miscarried; meanwhile, local trackers mocked her fancy receivers. Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sedate 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin sedatus, from past participle of sedare to calm; akin to sedēre to sit — more at sit

Verb

back-formation from sedative

First Known Use

Adjective

1663, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sedate was in 1663

Dictionary Entries Near sedate

Cite this Entry

“Sedate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedate. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sedate

adjective
se·​date
si-ˈdāt
: quiet in manner or conduct : staid, sober
sedately adverb
sedateness noun

Medical Definition

sedate

transitive verb
se·​date si-ˈdāt How to pronounce sedate (audio)
sedated; sedating
: to dose with sedatives
the patient was sedated before the procedure

More from Merriam-Webster on sedate

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