adj
C1
Advanced
sedate
sih-DAYT
Sedate (adj) means Calm, unhurried, and dignified in manner. Example: “The retirement home had a sedate, peaceful atmosphere.”
adj
1
Calm, unhurried, and dignified in manner.
"The retirement home had a sedate, peaceful atmosphere."
"He gave a sedate little nod and carried on reading."
verb
1
To give someone a drug that calms them or makes them sleep.
"The vet sedated the dog before the X-ray."
How to use sedate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCalm and composed — or, as a verb, to make someone calm through medication.
Common pairings
sedate atmosphere
sedate the patient
heavily sedated
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like sedate.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- sedates
- Past tense
- sedated
- Comparative
- more sedate, sedater
- Superlative
- most sedate, sedatest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The retirement home had a _____, peaceful atmosphere.
Etymology
From Latin sedatus, "calmed, settled," from sedare, "to calm" — ultimately from the same root as "sit."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for sedate
See all rhymes for sedate →Frequently asked questions
What does “sedate” mean?
The word “sedate” means calm, unhurried, and dignified in manner. In plain terms, calm and composed — or, as a verb, to make someone calm through medication.
How do you pronounce “sedate”?
“Sedate” is pronounced sih-DAYT (/səˈdeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “sedate” in a sentence?
Here is “sedate” used in a sentence: “The retirement home had a sedate, peaceful atmosphere.”
What part of speech is “sedate”?
Depending on how it is used, “sedate” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “sedate” come from?
The word “sedate” comes from Latin. From Latin sedatus, "calmed, settled," from sedare, "to calm" — ultimately from the same root as "sit.".
How many meanings does “sedate” have?
“Sedate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: calm, unhurried, and dignified in manner.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include sedate:
