quiet
adjective · noun · verb
Simple meaning
With little or no sound.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kwyuhtSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkwaɪət
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.
Having little motion or activity; calm.
Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.
Not busy, of low quantity.
Not showy; undemonstrative.
noun
The absence of sound
The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.
verb
transitive
To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.
intransitive
To become quiet or calm.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B1 · Intermediate
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.
Used this way, quiet is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use quiet
- “Quiet the dragons of worry and fear.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Become quiet or quieter.
Refrain from divulging sensitive information.
Refuse to talk or stop talking.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
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What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Related Learning
Guides that use this word in context.
Writing
15 Words for Writers Who Want to Describe Silence
A working list of precise words for silence and quiet, grouped by mood, with meanings, tone notes, and example sentences for writers.
Word Differences
Introverted vs. Shy: They’re Not the Same
Introverted and shy aren't the same thing. Learn the difference between introversion and shyness, see clear examples, and understand which word fits.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.