What does sedate mean?
Sedate describes a person, animal, or condition that is calm, controlled, and not visibly agitated. As an adjective, it is usually more formal than simply calm and can suggest a state of unusual composure in circumstances that might provoke excitement. As a verb, sedate means to make someone calmer or less active, often with the aid of a sedative medicine. The word can therefore function in both directions: a sedate patient is already calm, while medical staff may sedate a patient before a procedure. In everyday conversation, its verbal use is less common and may sound somewhat clinical, whereas the adjective is encountered in news, literature, and professional descriptions of behaviour.
Calm, composed, and not emotionally agitated or excited.
"The normally sedate diplomat continued reading while the room erupted in discussion."
Formal; often implies controlled or deliberate composure.
To make someone or something calm, especially by administering a sedative.
"They chose to sedate the frightened horse before transporting it."
Especially used in medical, veterinary, and animal-care contexts.
Sedate has two complementary roles: describing a famously calm person and describing the act of calming someone medically.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sedate come from?
The word comes from Latin, where sedare means “to make calm” or “to settle.” Its adjectival form, sedatus, developed in English in the 17th century with the meaning “calm” or “untroubled.” The verb was also borrowed from Latin, initially meaning to calm or make composed. Related English forms include sedation, sedative, and sedentary, all reflecting the broader Latin root associated with sitting, settling, or bringing something to rest.
Related word forms
How sedate is actually used
As an adjective, sedate is formal and often suggests deliberate control of emotion or movement. As a verb, it is especially common in medical and veterinary contexts and may imply the use of a sedative.
Easily confused with sedate
Sedate describes a person who is calm or can be made calm, while a sedative is a substance or medicine that produces calm or reduces activity.
Sedate relates to calmness or the act of calming, whereas sedentary describes an activity or lifestyle involving much sitting.