silent
SEYE-luhnt
Silent (adjective) means making no sound at all; completely quiet. Example: “The library fell silent as soon as the exam began.”
adjective
1
Making no sound at all; completely quiet.
"The library fell silent as soon as the exam began."
"After the joke fell flat, the room went silent."
"The forest was completely silent after the snow began to fall."
2
Not speaking; saying nothing.
"He stayed silent throughout the interview, refusing to answer any questions."
"When I asked who broke the vase, the children stayed silent."
"She remained silent rather than argue with her friend."
3
Of a letter, written but not pronounced.
"The "k" in "knee" is silent."
"The "b" in "lamb" is silent, which confuses many learners."
"In the word "island", the letter s is silent."
noun
1
A film made without recorded sound or dialogue.
"Charlie Chaplin built his career in silents before talkies took over."
"We watched an old silent at the cinema, with a pianist playing live."
"Many silents relied on exaggerated acting and written captions to tell the story."
How to use silent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMaking no noise, or choosing not to speak.
Common mistake
A "silent film" is a movie without spoken dialogue, not one with no sound at all — silent films often had live music.
Common pairings
silent night
silent treatment
silent letter
fall silent
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Word forms
- Plural
- silents
- Comparative
- silenter, more silent
- Superlative
- silentest, most silent
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The library fell _____ as soon as the exam began.
Etymology
From Latin silens, "being quiet," the present participle of silere, "to be silent."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “silent” mean?
The word “silent” means making no sound at all; completely quiet. In plain terms, making no noise, or choosing not to speak.
How do you pronounce “silent”?
“Silent” is pronounced SEYE-luhnt (/ˈsaɪ̯lənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “silent” in a sentence?
Here is “silent” used in a sentence: “The library fell silent as soon as the exam began.”
What is another word for “silent”?
Words with a similar meaning to “silent” include taciturn, mute, still, invisible, occluded and silential.
What is the opposite of “silent”?
The opposite of “silent” — its antonyms — are loud, noisy, unsilent and nonsilent.
What part of speech is “silent”?
Depending on how it is used, “silent” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “silent” come from?
The word “silent” comes from Latin. From Latin silens, "being quiet," the present participle of silere, "to be silent.".
Is “silent” a common word?
“Silent” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between silent and quiet?
Silent means completely free of sound, an absolute state with nothing to hear. Quiet is relative and means low in sound rather than none at all; a quiet room may still have soft background noise. So everything silent is quiet, but not everything quiet is truly silent.
What is the difference between silent and mute?
Silent describes anything making no sound at a given moment. Mute more often describes an inability or refusal to speak, or a device setting that turns sound off. A person can choose to be silent, whereas 'mute' suggests the capacity for sound is switched off or absent.
What is a silent letter?
A silent letter is a letter written in a word but not pronounced, fitting the sense of making no sound. Common English examples include the 'k' in 'knee,' the 'b' in 'thumb,' and the 'gh' in 'night.' They often survive from older spellings or foreign origins.
What is the opposite of silent?
The most direct opposites are 'loud' and 'noisy,' describing something full of sound. Depending on context, 'audible' also contrasts with silent, since it means able to be heard. A silent engine makes no sound at all, while a noisy one is impossible to ignore.
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