composure

noun

com·​po·​sure kəm-ˈpō-zhər How to pronounce composure (audio)
: a calmness or repose especially of mind, bearing, or appearance : self-possession
The witness started to break down, then paused and regained her composure.
Choose the Right Synonym for composure

equanimity, composure, sangfroid mean evenness of mind under stress.

equanimity suggests a habit of mind that is only rarely disturbed under great strain.

accepted her troubles with equanimity

composure implies the controlling of emotional or mental agitation by an effort of will or as a matter of habit.

maintaining his composure even under hostile questioning

sangfroid implies great coolness and steadiness under strain.

handled the situation with professional sangfroid

Examples of composure in a Sentence

After the initial shock she regained her composure. kept his composure in spite of the repeated provocations
Recent Examples on the Web In a crisis of her own, Ms. Menendez has maintained her composure, Mr. Vargas said. Tracey Tully, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Some of these heartbreaks took a few seconds, some less than one, but all begged the question: Why is this pedigreed, veteran team prone to losing its composure? Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2024 That is until Swift, on her way back up to the suite, noticed the students standing there — barely hanging onto their composure and some making the universal Swift fan heart symbol. Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024 However, the Pacers' veterans have noticed that he's maintained his composure even as he's seen little playing time and spent so much time in the G League. Dustin Dopirak, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Jan. 2024 While his athleticism and deep passing might be his hallmarks, his composure in the pocket should give any front office an additional level of comfort in projecting him to the next level. 4. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024 After sentencing, Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan praised the testimony and composure of the young people who had been with Gillis the night she was killed. Ray Sanchez, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Earlier this year, C. Milton Wright might have lost its composure amid that run; that was the Mustangs’ Achilles heel in the Edmondson loss. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024 Smith asked for a break so her client could regain her composure. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'composure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see compose

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of composure was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near composure

Cite this Entry

“Composure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/composure. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

composure

noun
com·​po·​sure kəm-ˈpō-zhər How to pronounce composure (audio)
: calmness especially of mind, manner, or appearance
she kept her composure

More from Merriam-Webster on composure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!