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adj A2 Elementary Common

peaceful

PEESFL

Peaceful (adj) means Free from war, violence, or disturbance. Example: “The protest remained peaceful despite the large crowd.”

adj
1
Free from war, violence, or disturbance.
"The protest remained peaceful despite the large crowd."
2
Calm and quiet; giving a feeling of tranquility.
"We spent a peaceful afternoon reading by the lake."
"The village felt peaceful after the tourists left for the day."

How to use peaceful

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCalm, quiet, and free from conflict or disturbance.

Common pairings
peaceful protest peaceful surroundings a peaceful death peaceful coexistence

Word forms

more peaceful comparative, peacefuller comparative, peacefuler comparative, peacefuls plural, most peaceful superlative, peacefullest superlative, peacefulest superlative

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The protest remained _____ despite the large crowd.

Etymology

From Middle English peseful, built from peace + the suffix -ful ("full of").

Origin: Middle English

Related words

Rhymes for peaceful

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Frequently asked questions

What does “peaceful” mean?

The word “peaceful” means free from war, violence, or disturbance. In plain terms, calm, quiet, and free from conflict or disturbance.

How do you pronounce “peaceful”?

“Peaceful” is pronounced PEESFL (/ˈpiːsfl̩/ in IPA).

How do you use “peaceful” in a sentence?

Here is “peaceful” used in a sentence: “The protest remained peaceful despite the large crowd.”

What part of speech is “peaceful”?

“Peaceful” is an adjective.

Where does the word “peaceful” come from?

The word “peaceful” comes from Middle English. From Middle English peseful, built from peace + the suffix -ful ("full of").

Is “peaceful” a common word?

“Peaceful” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

How many meanings does “peaceful” have?

“Peaceful” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: free from war, violence, or disturbance.

What is the difference between "peaceful" and "peaceable"?

"Peaceful" describes a state free from conflict or a calm, quiet feeling, as in "a peaceful evening." "Peaceable" describes a person or nature inclined to avoid conflict, as in "a peaceable neighbour."

What is the difference between "peaceful" and "calm"?

"Calm" focuses on the absence of movement, noise, or agitation, while "peaceful" adds a sense of being free from conflict or disturbance. A place can be calm because it is still and peaceful because nothing troubling is happening.

What is a "peaceful protest"?

A "peaceful protest" is a demonstration carried out without violence or disturbance. "Peaceful" here stresses that participants express their views without fighting or causing harm.

What is the opposite of "peaceful"?

When "peaceful" means free from war or disturbance, opposites include "violent," "turbulent," and "chaotic." When it means calm and quiet, opposites include "noisy" and "hectic"; the right one depends on which sense you mean.

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