calming 1 of 3

adjective

as in relaxing
tending to calm the emotions and relieve stress a calming glass of warm milk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

calming

2 of 3

noun

as in soothing

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calming

3 of 3

verb

present participle of calm
1
as in lulling
to free from distress or disturbance the president's reassuring words did much to calm the public during the national emergency

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in containing
to gain emotional or mental control of he calmed himself before continuing the eulogy

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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 calming
Adjective
From humorous and whimsical to elegant and calming, the choice is yours. — Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026 The best way to make sure your words have a calming effect is to bend down to your child’s eye level, hold their hands in yours, and take a few deep breaths. — Francesca Castagnoli, Parents, 4 Aug. 2026 The songs on the album felt like intricate lullabies with a beautiful, calming, druggy sweetness to them. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 31 July 2026 Cherries and bananas rank among the most calming foods to eat before bed. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026 Besides providing access to a range of suburban adopters with big backyards, the ranch will offer a calming and spacious environment, especially for dogs more than 40 pounds, according to PAWS. — Mick Zawislak, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026 Featuring top notes of orange, bergamot, and lemon mixed with honeyed florals and the essence of musk, cedarwood, and sandalwood, each item leaves behind a clean, calming, slightly herbaceous scent. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 13 July 2026 Across America charms — all four of my rides last week ended in audience applause — by simply being a calming, relaxed journey that stokes our sense of adventure. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 This very quiet space with very little ambient sound was meant to not feel calming, but like a pressure. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
Noun
The idea is that these stocks benefit from a calming of tensions in the Middle East, regardless of what happens with AI spending near term. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 July 2026 As a very high-octane, easily stressed gal in the entertainment industry, Dave is my calming, grounding force. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026 The swinging design and compression help with vestibular input and calming. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026 At the same time, glycerin, squalane, and tremella mushrooms keep skin comfortably hydrated, while calming extras like bisabolol and Centella asiatica (cica) minimize the chance of irritation. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 8 May 2026 But the only peace on Concrète Waves is the occasional pullback, a calming of the storm rather than the coming of a resolution. — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026 There is self-regulation going on in the initial stages of spiritual development, and this is where calming does come into play. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Pamper yourself in the cool, calming atmosphere of a spa this weekend while taking advantage of the final weeks of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Miami Spa Months. — Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026 This pretty, charming — and calming — trail often evokes the rolling hills and dales of the English countryside. — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026 Finally, there’s magnesium, a mineral known for calming the nervous system and relaxing muscles. — Mura Dominko, Martha Stewart, 9 Aug. 2026 Choose from energizing citrus, cooling eucalyptus and peppermint, calming lavender or a variety pack with five different scents – an easy way to add a little luxury to your daily routine. — ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026 The bestselling quilt set comes in more than 10 calming colors including glacier blue, mist gray, and pine green. — Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026 For people with chronic insomnia, that calming effect appears to translate into better rest. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Aug. 2026 This mimics the feeling of being in the womb, which can have a calming effect. — Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 5 Aug. 2026 During the treatment, calming movements and healing products merge to soothe the soul and the body. — Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calming
  1. relaxing
  2. soothing
  3. lulling
  4. containing
  5. comforting
  6. composing
  7. quieting
Adjective
  • But thanks to Kemble’s careful vision, it gets pulled together into a relaxing space where there's always a new detail to catch your eye.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Grocery shopping for school-age kids is not a relaxing, easy-to-manage weekly chore.
    — Parents, Parents, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of relaxing
Noun
  • This became a soothing refrain whenever there was a momentary, impossible-to-plan-for hiccup (like the arrival time of custom’s agents) shared with the guests.
    — Maria Yagoda, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of soothing
Verb
  • Parsons went on to self-release multiple full-length soundtrack albums of ominous sci-fi pads, glitchy electronics, and lulling melodies before A24 announced the release of a feature-length film.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026
  • The project was about permeating the masses, gradually lulling them with propaganda.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of lulling
Verb
  • The best kits with oils and lotions can rise to $150, and those containing high-quality straight razors might cost as much as $200.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The group’s survey efforts are mostly organized into 17 clusters, each containing 12 to 16 individual collection sites spread out in a grid of roughly 14 square miles.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of containing
Adjective
  • Fall Dog Treats These cozy seasonal dog treats are made with simple organic ingredients, gently oven baked in small batches for a soft, flavorful reward inspired by the comforting tastes of fall.
    — Jessica Moore, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Those ‘boys’ are in their late forties and fifties now — a comforting reminder, to parents who may be despairing about enduring another entry in this franchise, that all children eventually grow up.
    — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of comforting
Verb
  • Eisenberg wrote, directed and produced the film, also appearing in it and composing its original music and lyrics.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • MarcAurele worked with former Second City director Alan Kliffer to turn three frenzied weeks of writing and composing into a one-night-only concert.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of composing
Verb
  • Performed beneath a continuous gentle rain of warm seawater, this experience combines mineral-rich marine exposure and thermal comfort soothing aching muscles along the way and quieting the mind.
    — Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
  • However, the Rams’ acquisition of Garrett puts a team that was firmly a Super Bowl favorite back in the conversation for a 2026 Super Bowl run, quieting the doubters who rose after the 2026 NFL Draft.
    — Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Definition of quieting

Browse Nearby Words

calmed (down)
calming
calming (down)
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Cite this Entry

“Calming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calming. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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