calm down — 2 meanings

One phrase, 2 different jobs. Tap a meaning to jump to it — then lock each one in by saying it out loud.

phrasal verb2 meanings

1 become calmTo become less upset, angry, or excited.
2 make someone calmTo help someone else feel less upset, angry, or excited.

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become calm

B1calm downspokenMost common

To become less upset, angry, or excited.

After hearing the bad news, it took me a while to calm down.

A: I can't believe I missed my flight!
B: Just calm down, you'll figure something out.

When I feel stressed about exams, I usually take a walk to help myself calm down.

Common mistake

✗You need to calm down yourself.

✓You need to calm down.

When YOU settle, 'calm down' takes no object — 'calm down' alone is far more natural.

Tell it apart

Take a breath and calm down.

stop being upset

Take a breath and cool off.

let your anger fade

Use this when someone is feeling strong emotions and needs to relax or control themselves.This sense is about your own feelings, not about helping someone else.

Often paired with

calm down

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make someone calm

B1calm sb downspoken

To help someone else feel less upset, angry, or excited.

She tried to calm her son down after he started crying.

A: The kids are fighting again.
B: I'll go calm them down.

In stressful situations at work, it's important to know how to calm your colleagues down.

Common mistake

✗It took ages to calm down him.

✓It took ages to calm him down.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'calm him down'.

Tell it apart

She calmed the toddler down.

settled their upset

She cheered the toddler up.

lifted their sadness

Use this when you help another person relax or control their emotions.This sense is about helping another person, not yourself.

Often paired with

calm someone down

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become calm make someone calm