peacefully
gb/pˈisfəli/ us/pˈisfəli/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
property
1
in a calm, quiet way
calmly and quietly
Usage pattern:
[someone] sleeps/lives/sits [peacefully]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use the adjective instead: say "sleep peacefully," not "sleep peaceful."
Synonyms
calmly (focuses on a relaxed emotional state.)
|
quietly (emphasizes little or no noise.)
|
serenely (suggests a deeper, more stable calm.)
Antonyms
restlessly (suggests inability to relax or settle.)
|
noisily (opposite in terms of sound and disturbance.)
|
anxiously (opposite in terms of worry or tension.)
Collocations
sleep peacefully
|live peacefully
|sit peacefully
|lie peacefully
|wait peacefully
|walk peacefully
|a peacefully quiet street
|peacefully at home
|peacefully in the garden
|peacefully beside [someone]
Themes
daily_life
|emotions
|health
Examples
- After the storm passed, the baby slept peacefully.
- They sat peacefully on the porch and watched the sunset.
- The town feels safely and peacefully quiet at night.
Learner examples
- The cat is sleeping peacefully.
- Please wait peacefully.
adverb
B2
property
2
without violence or conflict
without violence
Usage pattern:
[someone] protests/negotiates/settles [something] peacefully
Common mistake:
"Peacefully" does not always mean "happily"; it often means "without violence" or "without trouble."
Synonyms
nonviolently (more explicit about rejecting violence.)
|
amicably (emphasizes friendly relations, often in separations or agreements.)
Antonyms
violently (involves force, harm, or aggression.)
|
forcibly (emphasizes using power or compulsion.)
Collocations
protest peacefully
|demonstrate peacefully
|resolve it peacefully
|settle a dispute peacefully
|negotiate peacefully
|coexist peacefully
|separate peacefully
|transfer power peacefully
|end peacefully
|keep things peaceful and resolve them peacefully
Themes
society
|politics
|law
|communication
Examples
- The crowd protested peacefully despite heavy police presence.
- They agreed to settle the argument peacefully.
- The two communities have learned to coexist peacefully.
Learner examples
- We want to solve this peacefully.
- They protested peacefully.
adverb
B2
event
3
calmly, without suffering
calm and not in pain (when dying)
Usage pattern:
[someone] dies/passes away [peacefully]
Common mistake:
In this use, "peacefully" describes the manner of dying, not the person’s personality.
Synonyms
quietly (often used as a gentle description of dying.)
|
gently (emphasizes softness and lack of struggle.)
Antonyms
painfully (suggests suffering or distress.)
|
tragically (suggests a sad, often sudden or violent outcome.)
Collocations
die peacefully
|pass away peacefully
|slip away peacefully
|peacefully in his sleep
|peacefully at home
|peacefully surrounded by family
|peacefully after a long illness
|go peacefully
|peacefully in hospital
Themes
health
|family
|life_events
Examples
- He died peacefully with his family nearby.
- She passed away peacefully in her sleep.
- The doctors said he was comfortable and went peacefully.
Learner examples
- He died peacefully.
- She passed away peacefully.
Grammar
Dictionary form
peacefully
IPA
GB/pˈisfəli/
US/pˈisfəli/
Syllables & stress
peace - fully (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (peace)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: peacefully
- Plural: peacefullies
Word family
Forms
peacefullies
noun
Related words
peacefulness
noun
peacemaker
noun
Advanced or less common
pacifist
noun
pacifism
noun
Expressions
coexist peacefully
1/kˌoʊəɡzˈɪst pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
live together without conflict
live together without fighting
Examples
- Different religious groups have coexisted peacefully for decades.
- The plan is designed to help people and wildlife coexist peacefully.
- They learned to coexist peacefully after years of tension.
die peacefully
1/dˈaɪ pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
die calmly, without distress
die calmly, without pain
Examples
- He died peacefully at home.
- They hoped she would die peacefully and comfortably.
- The nurse said he died peacefully during the night.
pass away peacefully
1/pˈæs əwˈeɪ pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
die (polite), calmly
die peacefully (polite)
Examples
- She passed away peacefully with her children beside her.
- The family said he passed away peacefully in his sleep.
- He passed away peacefully after a long illness.
protest peacefully
1/pɹˈoʊtɛst pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
protest without violence
protest without fighting
Examples
- Thousands gathered to protest peacefully in the city center.
- They were determined to protest peacefully and follow the law.
- Most people protested peacefully, but a few started trouble later.
resolve [something] peacefully
1/ɹizˈɑlv sˈʌmθɪŋ pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
solve a conflict without violence
solve a conflict without violence
Examples
- Both sides promised to resolve the dispute peacefully.
- We can resolve this peacefully if we listen to each other.
- The leaders met to resolve the crisis peacefully.
rest peacefully
1/ɹˈɛst pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
rest in peace; calm rest
rest calmly (often after death)
Examples
- Rest peacefully, Grandma—you will be missed.
- The inscription read, "May he rest peacefully."
- She said a quiet goodbye and hoped he would rest peacefully.
sleep peacefully
1/slˈip pˈisfəli/
fixed phrase
sleep in a calm way
sleep well and calmly
Examples
- Once the music stopped, the children slept peacefully.
- He finally slept peacefully after taking the medicine.
- The dog slept peacefully by the fire.