stoic

adjective

ˈstō-ik How to pronounce stoic (audio)
variants or stoical
Definition of stoicnext
1
as in patient
accepting pains or hardships calmly or without complaint after waiting six years for permission to immigrate to the U.S., the family is stoic about a six-month postponement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in calm
not feeling or showing emotion at her husband's funeral she remained stoic, and only a few imagined the depth of her grief

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stoic distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of stoic are apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, and stolid. While all these words mean "unresponsive to something that might normally excite interest or emotion," stoic implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pain often as a matter of principle or self-discipline.

was resolutely stoic even in adversity

When is it sensible to use apathetic instead of stoic?

The synonyms apathetic and stoic are sometimes interchangeable, but apathetic may imply a puzzling or deplorable indifference or inertness.

charitable appeals met an apathetic response

When could impassive be used to replace stoic?

The words impassive and stoic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impassive stresses the absence of any external sign of emotion in action or facial expression.

met the news with an impassive look

When can phlegmatic be used instead of stoic?

While in some cases nearly identical to stoic, phlegmatic implies a temperament or constitution hard to arouse.

a phlegmatic man unmoved by tears

When would stolid be a good substitute for stoic?

While the synonyms stolid and stoic are close in meaning, stolid implies a habitual absence of interest, responsiveness, or curiosity.

stolid workers wedded to routine

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 stoic Skarsgård as the stoic Heiki Honkanen was the perfect complement to Hernández’s fast-talking, cigarette-smoking Joaquin Antonio Gonzalez Hernandez Suarez. —Charu Sinha, Vulture, 1 Feb. 2026 The quiet and stoic pain of his father processing such a loss further shook Felder’s early foundation. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026 So many of his characters were stoic and brave. —Akhil Sharma, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026 The normally stoic Thibs let out a laugh. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stoic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stoic
  1. patient
  2. calm
  3. passive
  4. stolid
  5. obedient
  6. impassive
  7. uncomplaining
  8. phlegmatic
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, be patient during intense discussions with one of your kids or a romantic partner.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Turkey has long been a leading destination for cosmetic surgery, and demand has been on the rise, attracting an international patient base from Europe, North America, and beyond.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of patient
Adjective
  • De-escalate using calm leadership to keep discussions productive and focused.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The day will remain mostly sunny, with calm winds.
    — Adam Del Rosso, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of calm
Adjective
  • Kelly’s John, mostly a passive receiver of wisdom and judgment, feels disturbingly like a moving photograph.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The billion-ton rock canopy provides passive containment and shielding that protects the reactor from natural disasters or surface-level threats while the billion-ton rock canopy acts as an extra layer of safety.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of passive
Adjective
  • Even Universal’s stolid Lew Wasserman was suddenly looking for buyers and firing existing staff.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025
  • Joel Edgerton plays Robert Grainier, an orphan who grows up to be a stolid working man.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Definition of stolid
Adjective
  • The audience would do well to stay attuned to this goal — and how obedient Nat is willing to be.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The Intelligence Age doesn’t require obedient workers.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Definition of obedient
Adjective
  • Crucially, Depardon and his impassive camera refuse to pass judgment, letting the subjects—among society’s most vulnerable and marginalized—speak for themselves.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
  • The Stoic philosophers, fixated on the impassive, idealized masculine, wrote often of death, attempting to acknowledge its inevitability while staring untroubled into its abyss.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Definition of impassive
Adjective
  • The story of children financially supporting their immigrant parents can feed into the myth of the Asian American model minority, which, in part, stereotypes Asian Americans as obedient, hard-working and uncomplaining.
    — Mike Dang, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2023
  • Queen Elizabeth II was formal, interested, uncomplaining, and always respectful.
    — Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic, 12 Nov. 2022
Definition of uncomplaining
Adjective
  • This phlegmatic response was a good summary of current U.S. policy: Washington favors Maduro’s downfall, but its position lacks clarity and is not backed by the actions—including military strikes inside Venezuela—that would bring about the outcome U.S. officials appear to want.
    — Elliott Abrams, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2025
  • Sante is phlegmatic when asked if Substack is doing anything strictly new.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 July 2025
Definition of phlegmatic

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stodgy
stoic
stoically
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Cite this Entry

“Stoic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stoic. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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