1
a
: devoid of or abstaining from motion
b
archaic
: sedentary
c
: not effervescent
still wine
d(1)
: of, relating to, or being a static photograph as contrasted with a motion picture
(2)
: designed for taking still photographs
a still camera
(3)
: engaged in taking still photographs
a still photographer
stillness
noun
stilled; stilling; stills
: to become motionless or silent : quiet
2
: to arrest the motion of
3
: silence
1
: without motion
sit still
2
3
—used as a function word to indicate the continuance of an action or condition
still lives there
drink it while it's still hot
4
: in spite of that : nevertheless
those who take the greatest care still make mistakes
5
a
: even sense 1b
a still more difficult problem
heavier still
b
: yet sense 1a
has still to be recognized
1
2
: apparatus used in distillation comprising either the chamber in which the vaporization is carried out or the entire equipment
Examples of still in a Sentence
Adjective
The cat twitched slightly, and then was still.
Everyone had left, and the house was finally still.
a class in still photography
They had still and fizzy drinks.
Verb (1)
it seemed as though nothing could still the fighting
reading a book helps me to relax and still my mind before going to bed
the conversation was abruptly stilled by a loud crash from the next room
Adverb
Sit still. It'll just take a minute.
the cat sat absolutely still, watching as the mouse began to make its way across the floor
Noun (1)
in the still of the forest he could relax and forget his worries
a loud noise shattered the still of the night
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
After tribal leader Javier Chocobar raised a still camera to record what the men were doing, one of them shot him dead.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
Susan Page, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
The service lasted more than five hours, but the moment that stilled the crowd came when his widow, Erika, spoke of her husband’s killer in the language of absolution.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Second, the government data flow has been choppy in October, but alternative indicators and prior releases still point to slower growth alongside inflation that remains above target but trending less sticky at the margin.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Mezcal Experiences Rooted in Indigenous practices dating back 400 years, mezcal was first distilled by Zapotec and Mixtec communities using clay stills and underground ovens.
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for still
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
The image of David was a still frame from a Hamas propaganda video.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
After tribal leader Javier Chocobar raised a still camera to record what the men were doing, one of them shot him dead.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
After two years, the brutal war that started with Hamas' seizure of hostages and led to Israel's bombardment of Gaza was stilled.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
The service lasted more than five hours, but the moment that stilled the crowd came when his widow, Erika, spoke of her husband’s killer in the language of absolution.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
Adverb
There are still around 72,000 WWII service members unaccounted for, according to The Guardian.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Second, the government data flow has been choppy in October, but alternative indicators and prior releases still point to slower growth alongside inflation that remains above target but trending less sticky at the margin.
—Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
While marketing for the feature has focused on Springsteen giving a concert performance, as seen in the trailers, film stills and on the posters, the concert aspect of the movie only accounts for a few minutes of the film’s opening act.
—Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
Mezcal Experiences Rooted in Indigenous practices dating back 400 years, mezcal was first distilled by Zapotec and Mixtec communities using clay stills and underground ovens.
—Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for still
Cite this Entry
“Still.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/still. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
still
3 of 5 adverb1
: without motion
sit still
2
: up to this or that time
still lives there
while it's still hot
3
: in spite of that : nevertheless
those who take care can still make mistakes
4
a
: even entry 3 sense 4
a still more difficult problem
b
: beyond this : in addition, yet
won still another tournament
still
4 of 5 noun1
2
: a still photograph
still
5 of 5 noun1
2
: a device used in distillation
Etymology
Adjective
Old English stille "not moving"
Noun
from earlier still (verb) "to distill," from Middle English stillen, a shortened form of distillen "to distill"
Biographical Definition
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