placid like

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "placid like" is not standard in written English and may sound awkward or incomplete.
It can be used when comparing something to the quality of being calm or peaceful, but it is better to use a more established phrase. Example: "The lake was placid like a mirror reflecting the sky."

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

How do I make my voters all soft and placid like yours?

The Guardian - Opinion

And when asked about his emotional reactions during matches, he added: "I cannot as well sit there and be placid like I am on dope! "I care about the game and I'm motivated to win the game and agitated, yes.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Upstairs from the child-friendly wonderland of the Museum of Modern Art's Tim Burton exhibition, and from the placid, chapel-like room devoted to Monet's water lilies, the new Marina Abramovic retrospective can be heard before it is seen, and it doesn't sound inviting.

The New York Times - Arts

It should also robotically chant sports scores with a serenely placid, human-like face.

Huffington Post

She wore a placid expression, like a waxy doll.

Independent

This low-rise and surprisingly leafy borough is part of the metropolis, but moves at a more placid pace, like a small city upstate or in the Midwest.

The New York Times - Arts

The waters of the Wannsee lake, generally so placid, churned like the North Atlantic; the Wannsee, where the "evacuation" of European Jewry to a "final solution" was decided in early 1942 — and words had already lost their meaning.

The New York Times

What is it, then, about a placid village like Midsomer that brings out the dark side of human nature and makes this pretty place such an inviting locale for a murder mystery?

The New York Times

The press is being squeezed even in placid places like Botswana and Namibia, where the governments, angry with critical coverage in privately owned newspapers, have stopped advertising in some of the more objectionable publications and have ended subscriptions.

The New York Times

Her father's work on computers, financed by the Department of Defense, causes the family to pick up and move with unsettling frequency: "Kit felt she skated, over the truths her father knew or hid, the network which lay under their rapid, placid lives like the tangled duckweed and roots down in a frozen pond".

The New York Times - Books

The anxiety levels in current mysteries are so off-the-charts that even a placid community like Port Silva, the picturesque coastal town in Northern California where Janet LaPierre sets her cozy whodunits, is thrown into a state of civil war over a peace march.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "placid like", ensure the comparison is clear and adds value to your description. Consider if a more common simile, such as "calm as", might be more effective.

Common error

Avoid using "placid like" repeatedly in your writing, as it can sound repetitive and unnatural. Vary your descriptions with synonyms and different sentence structures to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "placid like" functions as an adjectival simile, used to compare something to the quality of being placid, meaning calm or peaceful. Ludwig suggests, this phrase is grammatically acceptable but may sound less natural compared to other alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "placid like" is a phrase used to create a comparison with something that is calm and peaceful. While grammatically acceptable, according to Ludwig it is less common than alternatives like "as placid as" or other similar similes. Usage analysis shows it appears most frequently in News & Media and Academic contexts. Ludwig also suggests that you can consider alternatives such as "calm as", "serene like" or "placid as" for improved clarity and naturalness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

placid as

Inverts the structure while maintaining the core meaning, but sounds more natural

serene like

Substitutes "placid" with "serene", maintaining the simile structure.

tranquil like

Uses "tranquil" instead of "placid", emphasizing a state of calmness and quiet.

calm as

Uses a simile to directly compare calmness, replacing "placid" with "calm" and restructuring the comparison.

peaceful like

Replaces "placid" with "peaceful", focusing on the tranquility aspect.

unruffled like

Focuses on the lack of disturbance, replacing "placid" with "unruffled".

undisturbed like

Highlights the absence of disruption, offering a more descriptive alternative to "placid".

gentle like

Conveys a sense of mildness and calmness, differing slightly from the stillness implied by "placid".

mild like

Similar to "gentle", but emphasizes the lack of intensity or harshness.

composed like

Emphasizes a state of calmness and self-control, particularly in a person's demeanor.

FAQs

What does "placid" mean?

"Placid" means calm, peaceful, and undisturbed. It often describes a body of water or a person's demeanor. It suggests a lack of agitation or excitement.

What can I say instead of "placid"?

Alternatives to "placid" include "serene", "calm", "peaceful", "tranquil", and "undisturbed", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "placid like" or "as placid as"?

"As placid as" is generally considered more grammatically standard and natural-sounding than "placid like". It's a more common and accepted simile construction.

How can I use "placid" in a sentence?

You might say, "The lake was "placid" in the morning light", or "Her face remained "placid" despite the chaos around her".