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adj

stoic

STOH-ihk

Stoic (adj) means enduring pain or hardship without complaint or visible emotion. Example: “She remained stoic throughout the long and painful recovery.”

adj
1
Enduring pain or hardship without complaint or visible emotion.
"She remained stoic throughout the long and painful recovery."
noun
1
A person who follows Stoicism, an ancient philosophy of accepting fate calmly and rationally.
"The ancient Stoics believed true peace came from mastering one's own reactions."

How to use stoic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCalm, tough, and uncomplaining in the face of pain or difficulty.

Common mistake

Lowercase "stoic" describes calm endurance; capitalized "Stoic" refers to the specific ancient Greek philosophy.

Common pairings
remain stoic a stoic expression stoic acceptance

Word forms

more stoic comparative, stoics plural, Stoics plural, most stoic superlative

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She remained _____ throughout the long and painful recovery.

Etymology

From the Stoa Poikile ("painted porch") in Athens, where the philosopher Zeno taught the school of thought known as Stoicism.

unemotional person

Rhymes for stoic

See all rhymes for stoic →

Frequently asked questions

What does “stoic” mean?

The word “stoic” means enduring pain or hardship without complaint or visible emotion. In plain terms, calm, tough, and uncomplaining in the face of pain or difficulty.

How do you pronounce “stoic”?

“Stoic” is pronounced STOH-ihk (/ˈstoʊ.ɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “stoic” in a sentence?

Here is “stoic” used in a sentence: “She remained stoic throughout the long and painful recovery.”

What part of speech is “stoic”?

Depending on how it is used, “stoic” can be an adjective and a noun.

How many meanings does “stoic” have?

“Stoic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: enduring pain or hardship without complaint or visible emotion.

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