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placidly
[ plas-id-lee ]
adverb
- in a calm or peaceful manner; tranquilly:
The mural brings to life a world where mammoths still embark on ancient migrations, where giant ground sloths browse placidly, where saber-toothed tigers stalk their prey.
- in a way that shows a lack of energy or concern:
After playing fairly placidly in the first quarter and ending down three goals, the girls entered the second quarter with stronger, more dynamic play.
Other Words From
- un·plac·id·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of placidly1
Example Sentences
Ogie, who accepts without question that his legs don’t function, is helped each morning into the tub by one of the brothers, where he placidly exists.
“A change from the climbing gym,” he says placidly.
Archie, the owl whose species is native to Europe and Asia, stood placidly under the shower of a sprinkler.
“I immediately knew I didn’t want to play him as evil,” said Moayed, whose Torvald seems so placidly self-satisfied, having the wife he calls his “songbird” live by his rules.
“We do not intend to wait placidly for those rights, which are already legally and morally ours, to be meted out to us one at a time,” the Appeal declared.
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More About Placidly
What does placidly mean?
Placidly means in a way that is placid—calm, peaceful, or quiet.
Placid is used to describe things that have a calm appearance or a calm nature, such as a placid pond whose surface is perfectly still.
When placid is used to describe people, it can mean that they’re very calm and even-tempered. However, placid can also mean showing a lack of energy or concern. Saying that a person is acting placidly in this way is often done to criticize them for not caring enough to take action in a situation that calls for action to be taken, as in You shouldn’t accept defeat so placidly.
Example: Rex is the calmest dog I’ve ever had—he acts so placidly, even around strangers.
Where does placidly come from?
The first records of the word placidly come from the 1630s. Its base word, placid, comes from the Latin placidus, meaning “calm” or “quiet,” from the Latin verb placēre, “to please” (or, originally, “to calm”). The suffix -ly is used to form adverbs.
When placidly is used to describe the actions of a person, it can mean “too calm.” Using the word this way implies that a person should be much less calm or unconcerned than they are.
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What are some other forms related to placidly?
- placid (adjective)
What are some synonyms for placidly?
What are some words that share a root or word element with placidly?
What are some words that often get used in discussing placidly?
How is placidly used in real life?
Placidly can be used in both positive and negative ways. When it is used negatively, it often implies criticism of a person who should be more concerned about what is happening.
Thanks to Beth and Katelyn at @milwaukeekayak for a great morning paddle today. If only every work day could start off so placidly. pic.twitter.com/gsR7TKjqnF
— Scott Silet (@ssilet) July 2, 2020
today started out so placidly & then turned into a rollercoaster. like, Six Flags Great Adventure rollercoaster-worthy! fun but… @_@
— Eva Chen (@evachen212) April 19, 2012
“I did not kiss that church’s judgment goodbye so I could placidly accept anyone else’s.” https://t.co/Km6GEULyfj
— Zach Thompson (@zthomp) July 14, 2019
Try using placidly!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of placidly?
A. peacefully
B. anxiously
C. serenely
D. tranquilly
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