Composure Meaning
/kəmˈpoʊʒɚ/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounCalmness of mind or temperament.
nounThe act of composing
Sentence Examples
He soon recovered his composure.
Suddenly, the supervisor lost his composure.
Tom found it hard just to keep his composure.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite the chaos, she managed to maintain her ____ during the stressful meeting.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Despite the intense and unfair criticism, she maintained her calm ____.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English compose English -ure English composure From compose + -ure.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"That all may see who hate us, how we seek
Peace and composure […]"
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 559-560:
"It would be also of great Use to us to form our deliberate Judgments of Persons and Things in the calmest and serenest Hours of Life, when the Passions of Nature are all silent, and the Mind enjoys its most perfect Composure […]"
— 1725, Isaac Watts, chapter 3, in Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:
"“Did you want anything, ma’am?” I enquired, still preserving my external composure, in spite of her ghastly countenance and strange exaggerated manner."
— 1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], Wuthering Heights: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], →OCLC:
"He began to lose his composure, and made mistakes, his cards got mixed up, and his scoring was wild."
— 1894, Giacomo Casanova, chapter 16, in Arthur Machen, transl., The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, volume 4, London: Elek Books, page 407:
"Montenegro's early composure was shaken by that set-back and a visibly buoyed Wales nearly added a second goal when Bale broke past two defenders and fired a long-range shot that Bozovic tipped over"
— 2011 September 2, “Wales 2-1 Montenegro”, in BBC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite the chaos, she managed to maintain her ____ during the stressful meeting.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Despite the intense and unfair criticism, she maintained her calm ____.