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sedate

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sedate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sedate are earnest, grave, serious, sober, solemn, and staid. While all these words mean "not light or frivolous," sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness.

remained sedate amid the commotion

When might earnest be a better fit than sedate?

While in some cases nearly identical to sedate, earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose.

an earnest reformer

In what contexts can grave take the place of sedate?

The words grave and sedate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude.

read the proclamation in a grave voice

Where would serious be a reasonable alternative to sedate?

The synonyms serious and sedate are sometimes interchangeable, but serious implies a concern for what really matters.

a serious play about social injustice

When could sober be used to replace sedate?

In some situations, the words sober and sedate are roughly equivalent. However, sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity.

a sober look at the state of our schools

When would solemn be a good substitute for sedate?

The meanings of solemn and sedate largely overlap; however, solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity.

a sad and solemn occasion

When is staid a more appropriate choice than sedate?

While the synonyms staid and sedate are close in meaning, staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint.

a quiet and staid community

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sedate
Adjective
Radium Performance View 4 Images Some electric skateboards are nice sedate things, designed for leisurely commutes on city sidewalks. Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 7 Apr. 2025 There was a time when fashion existed but moved at a comparatively more sedate pace. Katrina Gulliver, JSTOR Daily, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
Through Casemiro, United rendered the second half sedate enough to allow Amad and Matthijs de Ligt minutes on return from their respective ankle injuries. Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 May 2025 The man was sedated and placed on his stomach, and the back of his head was shaved in order to access the rod, according to the report. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sedate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedate
Adjective
  • Handheld digital images give way to more solemn documentary reveries, which give way to surveillance footage and TikTok-style social media interludes.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 May 2025
  • The scenes involving Alma and Erika, both of whom grow up in worlds dominated by a solemn patriarchy and plagued by hardship, feel like they were drawn from period horror movies.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • Considered one of the state’s best beach towns, Biloxi is known for its picturesque sand and calm waters that are protected by barrier islands just south of the beach in the Gulf of Mexico.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 May 2025
  • It's also infused with prebiotic oats, which support healthy skin and calm irritations like eczema.
    Laura Lu, Parents, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Most are unable to rise above the stylistic miasma of the production — Whitehead sounds narcotized even when Pip isn’t on drugs — or the entirely new words they’ve been asked to say.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2023
  • The smartphone, for all its wonder and utility, has also proved to be a narcotizing agent.
    Derek Thompson, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2019
Adjective
  • Created by a Benedictine monk with a serious eye for detail, this whimsical stop features 125 tiny, handcrafted replicas of famous historic landmarks, like St. Peter’s Basilica and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, all located on the grounds of Alabama’s only Benedictine monastery, St. Bernard Abbey.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 May 2025
  • Seven restaurants were closed because of serious health violations: Chuys Restaurant, 4441 River Oaks Blvd., had a score of 27 and was closed because of unsafe temperatures in the restaurant’s cold storage units.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • People who responded to the survey said the Morro Bay campsite was serene and dog-friendly, while also being close to town and nature walks.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 17 May 2025
  • At the Cowboy Carter concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Thursday (May 15), the serene moment was interrupted — at least for Blue, who realized the earring in her right ear was caught in Beyoncé’s hair.
    Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Or Martha’s Vineyard to relax around the shores with their families.
    Taylor Crumpton, Time, 22 May 2025
  • But when Steven and Robin stop by Eileen’s house after returning from a relaxing cruise, their lives will never be the same.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • And Hannah Waddingham gives a good, stern space-lady as the voice of the Galactic Grand Councilwoman.
    EW.com, EW.com, 20 May 2025
  • Ruud van Nistelrooy put his arm round Amad, who wore a stern expression before going onto the pitch.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Before our appointment at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, a peaceful retreat off the Bodega Highway in West Sonoma county, a friend and I popped into a nearby gift shop.
    Alyssa Bereznak, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
  • Nearby, at Hatta Dam, rent a kayak and enjoy a peaceful few hours on the quiet waters, surrounded by dramatic peaks.
    Natasha Amar, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sedate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedate. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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