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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
The primary suite is a more sedate space with a ribbon of windows looking into the surrounding treetops. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 10 Mar. 2025 But its adults-only Hideaway area – one of eight neighborhoods on board – is more sedate. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
Shift cultural narratives around women's mental health: Although a broader, complex conversation, social paradigms need to stop treating women's anxiety as something to be sedated rather than understood. Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Some are a bit stronger and more likely to be sedating. Eileen Finan, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sedate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedate
Adjective
  • In a solemn message, Dominican President Luis Abinader addressed the nation’s grief.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • In Ireland, however, St. Patrick’s Day remained a solemn day of observance with little revelry.
    Bryan McGovern, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Clouds will hang around most of the evening, and the low will be around 57 along with calm overnight winds.
    Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
  • While not all people with autism stim, doing so can help release debilitating excess energy and restore a feeling of comfort, calm, and body/mind awareness.
    Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 17 Apr. 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
  • These behaviors can lead to serious side effects, from bloating and nausea all the way up to heart attack and stroke, Pasricha says.
    Andee Tagle, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Could this cause some serious anxiety, or even an existential crisis?
    Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Hotel is a luxury resort located along the serene mangroves, offering a peaceful escape while still being close to the action of the downtown.
    Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Since then, the Rockefellers have been stewards of this serene stretch of land, donating vast swaths to public use—including the park preserve and the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The emphasis is on unplugging from TVs and phones and relaxing and reconnecting.
    Cynthia J Drake, Southern Living, 14 Apr. 2025
  • There’s also a pre-treatment scalp massage that helps guests relax for their massage, facial, or other experience.
    Robin Raven, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Raid 2, for instance, a two and a half hour crime and punishment epic, boils down to one man’s struggle to win the approval of his stern father; whether this is significant to Evans’ life or not, the motif nonetheless transitions cleanly into Havoc.
    Andy Crump, Time, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has issued a stern warning about a predatory fish that can grow up to 3 feet long, slither across land and breathe air.
    Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Advertisement Advertisement The principles of a free, open, and peaceful space are enshrined in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which all major space powers have ratified, including the U.S., Russia, and China.
    Andrew Hanna, Time, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Most demonstrations at Tesla showrooms or charging stations have been peaceful, though some incidents have involved violence, shootings and setting cars on fire.
    Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sedate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedate. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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