Synonyms of calming

calming 1 of 3

adjective

as in relaxing

tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress

a calming glass of warm milk

Synonyms & Similar Words

• relaxing
• soothing
• tranquilizing
• comforting
• quieting
• hypnotic
• sedative
• dreamy
• narcotic
• lulling
• pacifying
• opiate
• depressant
• analgesic
• anesthetic
• deadening
• anodyne
• antidepressant
• antianxiety
• numbing
• antistress
• antidepression

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• painful
• stressful
• unsettling
• troubling
• tiresome
• stimulating
• trying
• worrisome
• stimulant
• troublesome
• disturbing
• irritating
• energizing
• annoying
• frustrating
• aggravating
• invigorating
• maddening
• exasperating
• bothersome
• irksome
• vexing
• vexatious
• galling
• harassing
• grating
• nettlesome

calming

2 of 3

noun

as in soothing

Related Words

• soothing
• decrease
• salving
• mitigation
• moderation
• appeasement
• assuagement
• relief
• alleviation
• mollification
• ease
• diminishment
• comfort
• release

Dissimilar Words

• discomfort
• unrest
• suffering
• anguish
• torture
• misery
• torment
• agony
• pain
• stitch
• sting
• ache
• pang
• prick
• twinge
• smart
• tingle
• throe

calming

3 of 3

verb

present participle of calm

1

as in lulling

to free from distress or disturbance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• soothing
• lulling
• composing
• quieting
• relaxing
• appeasing
• tranquilizing
• stilling
• relieving
• salving
• quietening
• settling
• becalming
• hushing
• quelling
• pacifying
• lullabying
• placating
• mollifying
• easing
• alleviating
• conciliating
• mitigating
• allaying
• sedating
• solacing
• assuaging
• laying
• stupefying
• narcotizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disturbing
• upsetting
• disquieting
• agitating
• perturbing
• vexing
• keying (up)
• intensifying
• aggravating
• heightening
• exciting
• arousing
• stirring (up)
• inciting
• rousing
• discomposing
• fomenting
• working up

2

as in containing

to gain emotional or mental control of

he calmed himself before continuing the eulogy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• containing
• composing
• controlling
• restraining
• collecting
• settling
• soothing
• re-collecting
• holding back
• quieting
• tranquilizing
• lulling
• recovering
• rallying
• stilling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of calming

Adjective

But the interiors were sophisticated, very calming, and in keeping with the stunning natural world surrounding, there was lots of wood, and lots of nooks and hammocks to bed down in and relax with a good book. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026

Your bathtub should feel like a calming place to unwind and enjoy an inviting soak after a long day. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026

Its calming, subtly sweet and earthy-yet-spicy fragrance changes the dynamic of any room. —Gretta Monahan, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026

Herbal options like chamomile may offer mild calming effects as well. —Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026

That might mean slipping on an eye mask, starting a calming podcast, and sipping water or herbal tea. —Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2026

Bednar owns a ring and has established himself as a calming influence. —Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026

Some people are looking for something social; others want something functional and calming. —Jeff Burkhart, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026

With the former sitting at a prestige price point and the latter no longer on shelves, many fragrance fans have been left searching for new ways to get their fix of the calming, slightly creamy green tea note. —Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026

Noun

But the only peace on Concrète Waves is the occasional pullback, a calming of the storm rather than the coming of a resolution. —Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026

There is self-regulation going on in the initial stages of spiritual development, and this is where calming does come into play. —Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026

Verb

Time them intentionally — energizing adaptogens work best in the morning; calming ones fit better in the evening. —Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026

Coloring helps Kathy with her dementia, calming her anxiety and helping stimulate cognition. —Janet W. Lee, NPR, 7 May 2026

Time them intentionally — energizing adaptogens in the morning, calming ones at night. —Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026

Once converted into its active form, vitamin D binds to receptors in immune cells and supports the body in several ways, including enhancing the innate immune system, regulating and calming the adaptive immune system and reducing the risk of some inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. —Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 May 2026

And for the people of the present, the hiking trails in this area provide a calming refuge from the bustle of modern life. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 May 2026

Photographer Fabrice Coffrini took a calming photo of the near-full moon shining to the right of a silhouetted tree, as dusk gave way to night in the sky over Lucens in western Switzerland on April 30. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 May 2026

Neighbors argue the speed change is not enough and should be lowered more or paired with traffic calming measures. —Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026

For finishing touches, linen sprays are especially useful in the bedroom, as a few spritzes can add a calming scent directly to your pillow or sheets. —Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026