stoic
/ˈstəʊ.ɪk/Able to endure pain, hardship, or difficult emotions without complaining or showing how you feel. A stoic person stays calm and quiet even when things are very hard.
- She remained stoic throughout the long and painful medical treatment.
- He gave a stoic nod when told he had not passed the exam.
- The team was stoic in defeat, refusing to show their disappointment.
A person who endures difficulty or suffering without showing emotion or asking for sympathy. When capitalised, a Stoic refers to a follower of ancient Greek Stoic philosophy.
- My grandfather was a stoic — he never once complained about his illness.
- Even a stoic would struggle to stay calm in that situation.
Adinary Nuance
Stoic is often used interchangeably with composed, resilient, or impassive, but each word does something different. Stoic specifically means enduring real pain or hardship quietly — it implies suffering is present, but controlled. Composed just means staying calm under pressure, without any strong implication of suffering. Resilient is more active and positive: a resilient person bounces back from difficulty, while a stoic person quietly absorbs it without complaint. Impassive simply describes showing no emotion at all, which can sound cold or even robotic; stoic, by contrast, carries respect and even quiet admiration for the effort of self-control. In IELTS and academic writing, choose stoic when you want to convey dignified endurance in the face of hardship.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- lạnh lùng
- Spanish
- estoico
- Chinese
- 沉着
- Japanese
- ストイック
- Korean
- 초연한
Etymology
From Latin *Stoicus* and Greek *Stōïkos*, originally meaning a follower of the philosopher Zeno (~300 BCE), who taught at the *Stoa Poikilē* (Painted Porch) in Athens. Because Stoic philosophers believed enduring hardship without complaint was a virtue, the word entered English by the 16th century with its modern meaning of quiet, uncomplaining endurance.
Common phrases
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'stoic' a positive or negative word?
- Generally positive or neutral. It suggests quiet dignity and admirable self-control. In emotional contexts, some people may see it as cold or distant, but in academic and professional writing it almost always carries respect.
- What is the difference between 'stoic' and 'resilient'?
- 'Stoic' means enduring hardship without showing emotion or complaining. 'Resilient' means recovering and bouncing back after difficulty. A stoic person absorbs suffering quietly; a resilient person actively recovers from it. They describe different kinds of strength.
- Can 'stoic' be used as a noun?
- Yes. 'She is a stoic' means she is someone who bears hardship without complaint. Capitalised as 'Stoic', it refers specifically to followers of ancient Greek Stoic philosophy, so context matters.
- Is 'stoic' appropriate for IELTS writing?
- Yes, it is formal and academic in register, suitable for IELTS Task 2 essays on topics like character, adversity, mental strength, or human behaviour. It is a strong vocabulary choice that examiners will notice.