serene

1 of 2

adjective

se·​rene sə-ˈrēn 

1

: marked by or suggestive of utter calm and unruffled repose or quietude

a serene smile

2

a

: clear and free of storms or unpleasant change

serene skies

b

: shining bright and steady

the moon, serene in glory

—Alexander Pope

3

: august

—used as part of a title

His Serene Highness

serenely adverb

sereneness

sə-ˈrēn-nəs 

noun

serene

2 of 2

noun

1

archaic : a serene condition or expanse (as of sky, sea, or light)

2

archaic : serenity, tranquility

Synonyms

Adjective

• arcadian
• calm
• hushed
• peaceful
• placid
• quiet
• restful
• still
• stilly
• tranquil

Choose the Right Synonym for serene

calm, tranquil, serene, placid, peaceful mean quiet and free from disturbance.

calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence.

the protests ended, and the streets were calm again

tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure.

the tranquil beauty of a formal garden

serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquility.

watched the sunset of a serene summer's evening

placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency.

remained placid despite the criticism

peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil.

grown peaceful in old age

Examples of serene in a Sentence

Adjective

Between the two Azorean blue belfries of Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, a serene statue of the Madonna gazes out at the harbor, cradling a small boat in her arm. —Anita Diamant, National Geographic Traveler, September 2005

And Breeders' Cup day was anything but serene. The weather was … cold and often gray, with a 20-mile-an-hour headwind scouring the backstretch. —Lorna Lentini, New York Times, 14 July 2002

For Ben and me, in Omaha in 1961, our lives were untroubled and serene. After six years of marriage, we seemed to have reached the happy ending to the national American Dream. —Lois Mark Stalvey, The Education of a WASP, (1989) 1998

a serene woman who was everyone's source of support

Noun

Oft of one wide expanse had I been told / That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne: /Yet did I never breathe its pure serene / Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:  … —John Keats, "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," 1816

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

These healthy habits also help optimize the bedtime routine by eliminating stimulation and creating structure, which can help mitigate overwhelm and prepare you for a more serene morning. —Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024

The only team with double figures of wins this season is Liverpool, who have stood out as a model of relatively serene stability, while most of those beneath them have thrashed about like fish on the deck of a ship. —Nick Miller, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024

The adjacent hotel has a serene garden with a koi pond, and the 20 ryokan-style suites come with private patios. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 13 Dec. 2024

More of a coastal village, really, it's stretched out around a quiet, sweeping bay, protected from the wind and sea by a couple of islands which form a serene, natural cove. —William Leigh, theweek, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin serenus clear, cloudless, untroubled

Noun

derivative of serene entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

serene

adjective

se·​rene

sə-ˈrēn

1

: showing complete calm

2

a

: clear and free of storms

serene skies

b

: shining bright and steady

serenely adverb

sereneness

-ˈrēn-nəs

noun