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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
Stocks roared on Wednesday as Wall Street celebrated a fairly sedate consumer price index report and knockout earnings from major banks. Julie Coleman, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025 That surprised me because the Type-R uses a limited slip differential, and these more sedate models do not. Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
After sedating the bobcat, veterinary staff took X-rays and bandaged her paws, according to the nonprofit. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 3 Feb. 2025 The report said Austin should have considered transferring his authorities on Jan. 6 and Jan. 8, during two medical procedures in which he was moderately sedated. Brad Dress, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sedate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedate
Adjective
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displayed images of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, during an address at a combat officers' graduation ceremony on Sunday, delivering a solemn message.
    Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Language experts were consulted, solemn arguments had, brows were furrowed, everyone treated the whole thing awfully seriously.
    Nick Miller, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Both drivers have been relatively calm in the past, but that composure seemed to unravel today.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • The one child was screaming and running up and down, and the other child was really calm and quiet.
    Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 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
  • The Aggies are in a serious rough patch, however, having lost their last three games in a row.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • This jelly formula has that same bouncy vibe, delivering serious hydration with ingredients like jojoba seed oil.
    Allure Editors, Allure, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The show’s tropical backdrop, with its contrasts of serene beauty and underlying tensions, directly informed the use of saturated colors, exotic patterns, and organic textures.
    Shivani Vora, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • It’s tucked away in the hills—far above the neon signs of Sunset Boulevard and the ritzy shops of Rodeo Drive—and the outdoor entrance takes you by a serene lake where swans swim by.
    Vogue, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The free form pool complex is a great place to escape and relax, with multiple private areas, and it’s hardly ever crowded since there are so few rooms—and each has its own pool as well.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • There was a flurry of reports earlier this month that U.S. officials had asked Romania to relax travel restrictions against the brothers, who have been in and out of house arrest.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Lilian laughed, but Dr. Fenton remained stern, only nodding at Lilian’s understanding.
    Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Waves of anti-Tesla and Elon Musk protests ripple throughout Bay Area Related Articles With few options, Bay Area Democrats in Congress oppose Trump with stern letters, town halls and protest California’s first zero-emission car mandates are coming.
    CNN.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite the canine appearing to be asleep, her owner hinted that this peaceful nap was nothing but an act.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The Vatican said the pope had a peaceful night and left his bed to sit in an armchair on Wednesday.
    Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sedate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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