stills

verb

present tense third-person singular of still
1
as in stops
to bring (something) to a standstill it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in calms
to free from distress or disturbance reading a book helps me to relax and still my mind before going to bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in shushes
to stop the noise or speech of the conversation was abruptly stilled by a loud crash from the next room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stills And stills the curiosity, communication, and debate on which any self-aware democracy depends. — Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stills
  1. stops
  2. calms
  3. shushes
  4. stalls
  5. composes
  6. silences
  7. catches
  8. soothes
Verb
  • Last week, when Ocasio-Cortez made three campaign stops for Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, neither Democrat — and no audience members — brought up the topic of Gaza.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • In January 2025, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch changed the department pursuit policy, barring cops from chasing after vehicles fleeing car stops unless a felony crime or a violent misdemeanor was committed.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of stops
Verb
  • Try out the difference for yourself with this bifurcated serum-and-cream offering that calms, hydrates, and firms thanks to said truffles, sure, but also hyaluronic acid, panthenol, ceramides, and other good-for-skin ingredients.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And natural gum support from an ecosystem that calms irritation.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of calms
Verb
  • Before the chatter can continue, Sharon Leone (Diane Farr), the Cal Fire Division Chief and mother of Bode Leone (Max Thieriot), quickly shushes everyone and reminds them to focus.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
Definition of shushes
Verb
  • Paying Down Data Debt Without Halting AI The mistake most organizations make is treating data debt paydown as a two-year infrastructure project that stalls the AI road map.
    — Gopichand Mannava, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This process stalls improvements for years.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of stalls
Verb
  • The man composes his responses with the help of a manual that instructs him on which incoming string of Chinese characters should be answered with which other string of Chinese characters.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Agent authority composes dynamically.
    — Harsh Singhal, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Definition of composes
Verb
  • Burke almost silences Cleveland's bats Burke came on with one out in the third.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • With no evidence of a crime and no one willing to believe them, the unlikely pair must uncover the truth before the killer silences them for good.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of silences
Verb
  • But then, Coach Jake Hudson (Steve Zahn), the Catfish’s head coach and Ricky’s father, catches them.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Under the rules, a fan who catches a foul ball records an out.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of catches
Verb
  • The combination of liquid exfoliants gently boosts cell turnover and remove clogged pores, while tea tree leaf water hydrate and soothes.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Du says more work is needed to fully understand how music soothes a stressed brain.
    — Payal Dhar, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of soothes

Browse Nearby Words

stillness
stills
stilly
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Cite this Entry

“Stills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stills. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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