peaceful
/ˈpiːs.fəl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Peaceful describes a place, person, time, or situation that is calm and quiet, with little or no disturbance. It can also mean free from violence or war.
- We had a peaceful evening at home.
- The village is peaceful at night.
- They want a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Adinary Nuance
Peaceful is close to calm, quiet, and tranquil, but it often suggests a deeper sense of rest or harmony. Calm can describe a person’s mood, while peaceful often describes a place, time, or situation. Quiet focuses on low sound, but peaceful can include both quietness and a lack of conflict. Tranquil is a bit more literary or formal than peaceful.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- yên bình
- Spanish
- pacífico
- Chinese
- 宁静的
- Japanese
- 平和な
- Korean
- 평화로운
Etymology
Peaceful comes from peace and the suffix -ful, which means “full of.” It entered English in the Middle English period.
Common phrases
a peaceful placepeaceful sleeppeaceful protestpeaceful atmosphere
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is peaceful the same as quiet?
- Not exactly. Quiet means not loud, but peaceful also suggests calm and no stress or conflict.
- Can I use peaceful for a person?
- Yes, but it is less common than calm or gentle. You more often say a peaceful place or peaceful life.
- Is peaceful formal or informal?
- It is neutral and common in both speaking and writing.
- What is the difference between peaceful and tranquil?
- Tranquil is similar, but it sounds more literary and formal than peaceful.