serenity
gb/sɚˈɛnəti/ us/sɚˈɛnəti/
B2
English
~ 8800
Senses
0 senses
unknown
B2
state
1
calm, peaceful state of mind
A feeling of being very calm and peaceful, without strong worry or stress.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels a sense of serenity
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'serenity' with 'seriousness'. 'Serenity' means calm and peace, while 'seriousness' means not playful or not joking. Another common mistake is to use it as a regular countable noun (e.g., 'many serenities'); in most cases, 'serenity' is uncountable and used without 'a' or in phrases like 'a sense of serenity'.
Synonyms
calmness (More general and slightly simpler; does not always suggest the deep, almost spiritual peace that 'serenity' can imply.)
Antonyms
anxiety (Describes a state of worry and tension, which directly contrasts with the relaxed peace suggested by 'serenity'.)
Collocations
inner serenity
|a sense of serenity
|peace and serenity
|find serenity
|maintain serenity
|serenity in the face of [difficulty]
Themes
emotions
|mental_health
|wellbeing
|spirituality
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Meditation helped her regain a sense of serenity after the stressful week.
- Despite the chaos around him, he spoke with complete serenity.
- He moved through the negotiations with a serenity that impressed everyone at the table.
- The retreat is designed to help busy professionals find serenity and balance.
- Her serenity in the emergency room helped calm the patients.
Learner examples
- She feels a deep serenity when she sits by the lake.
- Yoga gives him serenity after a long day at work.
- In the middle of the noise, he kept his serenity.
- The teacher spoke with serenity, and the students relaxed.
- Traveling alone in nature brings me serenity.
Noun
C1
property
2
peaceful quality of a place
The quiet, peaceful feeling that a place has, especially in nature.
Usage pattern:
the serenity of [a place/scene]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'serenity' where 'silence' would be more natural. 'Silence' only means no sound, while 'serenity' suggests a wider feeling of peace and safety. Also, avoid saying 'the place is very serenity'; use 'the place has great serenity' or 'the place is very serene'.
Synonyms
tranquility (Very close in meaning; often used for natural places and scenes, sometimes slightly more formal or literary than 'serenity'.)
Antonyms
turmoil (Emphasizes noise, confusion, or disorder in a place, which contrasts with the quiet and order of serenity.)
Collocations
the serenity of the countryside
|the serenity of the lake
|complete serenity
|the natural serenity of [place]
|enjoy the serenity
|an atmosphere of serenity
Themes
nature
|environment
|travel
|aesthetics
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We escaped the city to enjoy the serenity of the mountains.
- The early-morning serenity of the park is broken only by birdsong.
- Huge windows were added to bring the garden's serenity into the living room.
- They chose the hotel for its beachfront serenity and lack of crowds.
- The temple is famous for the serenity of its inner courtyard.
Learner examples
- I love the serenity of the forest at sunrise.
- The small village has a special serenity at night.
- Tourists come here for the serenity of the beach.
- From the hill, we looked at the city in complete serenity.
- The garden brings a feeling of serenity to the house.
Grammar
Dictionary form
serenity
IPA
GB/sɚˈɛnəti/
US/sɚˈɛnəti/
Syllables & stress
serenity (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (serenity)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: serenity
- Plural: serenity
Word family
Core family
serene
adjective B2
Related words
serenely
adverb
Expressions
the Serenity Prayer
1/ðə sɚˈɛnəti pɹˈɛɹ/
fixed phrase
well-known Christian prayer about acceptance
A famous Christian prayer that asks God for calm, courage to change things that can be changed, and wisdom to know the difference.
Examples
- Many recovery groups begin their meetings by reciting the Serenity Prayer.
- She keeps a copy of the Serenity Prayer on her desk as a daily reminder.
- The pastor quoted the Serenity Prayer during his sermon on acceptance.