phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb

calm down

to relax emotionally

What it means

To become less angry, anxious, or excited, or to help someone else relax emotionally. It is used both for yourself and for others.

Examples

  • Take a deep breath and try to calm down before you reply.
  • It took her an hour to calm the baby down after the fall.
  • Once the boss calmed down, the meeting actually went well.
  • I went for a walk to calm down after the argument.

Where it comes from

Separable when transitive. Telling someone to 'calm down' can sound dismissive in English, so tone of voice matters a lot.

Related phrasal verbs

#cheer up#settle down#slow down#sit back

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