Definition

1. Noun:
   • A state of complete absence of motion or movement: The quality or condition of being completely still, without any physical activity or change in position.
   • A state of calmness and quiet, especially without wind: A condition of atmospheric tranquility and lack of disturbance.
   • (Literary/Poetic) A profound and peaceful silence: A deep, quiet, and often serene absence of sound.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The stillness of the lake at dawn was breathtaking. (The complete lack of movement on the lake's surface was beautiful.)
  • A deep stillness settled over the forest as the snow began to fall. (A quiet calm without wind enveloped the forest.)
  • He loved the stillness of the early morning hours. (He loved the profound, peaceful quiet of the early morning.)

Advanced Usage

• "The stillness of death": An idiom describing an absolute, eerie, and often frightening absence of movement or sound.
  • After the explosion, a terrible stillness of death fell over the battlefield.
• "To break the stillness": To disrupt a quiet or motionless state.
  • A single birdcall broke the stillness of the valley.

Variants and Related Words

• Still (adj/adv/verb/noun): The root word. As an adjective, it means not moving or making a sound. As a noun (often "the still"), it can refer to a quiet period, similar to stillness.
  • Please stand still. (adj)
  • the still of the night (noun)
• Motionlessness (n): A close synonym emphasizing the lack of movement.
• Tranquility (n): A state of peace and calm, which often includes stillness.
• Serenity (n): The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled; akin to a mental or emotional stillness.

Synonyms

• Calm: Freedom from agitation or excitement.
• Quiet: Absence of noise or disturbance.
• Peace: A state of tranquility or quiet.
• Hush: A sudden or profound silence.
• Lull: A temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.

Antonyms

• Motion: The action or process of moving.
• Movement: An act of changing physical location or position.
• Noise: A sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance.
• Turbulence: Violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid.
• Commotion: A state of confused and noisy disturbance.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• In the stillness of the night/morning: During the quiet, peaceful hours of night or early morning.
  • She often wrote her poetry in the stillness of the night.
• An uneasy stillness: A quiet that feels tense or ominous, as if preceding an event.
  • An uneasy stillness hung in the air before the storm hit.

Noun

1. a state of no motion or movement
   • the utter motionlessness of a marble statue
2. calmness without winds
3. (poetic) tranquil silence
   • the still of the night