Meaning & use
tranquil
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Peaceful and quiet, with no noise or disturbance.
Grammar: Describes places, scenes, and moods.
Patterns
- a tranquil place
- tranquil waters
We sat by the tranquil lake until dusk.
The village is tranquil in winter.
The garden has a tranquil atmosphere.
adjectivecomparableformal
Calm in mind or manner, not worried or upset.
Grammar: Describes people or their expression.
Patterns
- a tranquil mind
She had a tranquil smile.
His tranquil manner calmed everyone.
After meditation, he felt tranquil.
Word forms
| comparative | more tranquil |
|---|---|
| superlative | most tranquil |
Common combinations
- tranquil setting
- The hotel has a tranquil setting by the sea.
- tranquil scene
- The painting shows a tranquil scene.
- tranquil waters
- The boat drifted over tranquil waters.
- tranquil life
- He lives a tranquil life in the hills.
- tranquil mood
- Soft music set a tranquil mood.
Synonyms and how they differ
- calm
- Calm is the everyday word and works for weather or people, while tranquil sounds more poetic.
- serene
- Serene suggests a bright, graceful peacefulness.
- placid
- Placid describes something that does not easily get excited, sometimes dull.
- peaceful
- Peaceful is simpler and also means free from war.
Opposites
Word family
- tranquility noun
- the state of being calm and peaceful
- tranquilly adverb
- in a calm way
- tranquilize verb
- to make calm, usually with a drug
- tranquilizer noun
- a drug that calms
Commonly confused: tranquil or tranquilizer?
tranquil vs tranquilizer
A tranquilizer is a calming drug, not a state of mind. Tranquil is the adjective.
Practice
Which place would you most likely call tranquil?
Choose one answer.
Tranquil means peaceful and quiet, which suits a still lake.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tranquil”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.