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quiet

/ˈkwaɪət/

/ˈkwaɪɛt/

IPA guide

Other forms: quieted; quieter; quieting; quietest; quiets

To be quiet means you don't make any noise. When you’re trying not to wake a sleeping lion, you will be quiet when you run by it.

The versatile quiet, which can be a noun, adjective, or verb (to quiet others), is one of those words that is best understood through its antonyms — loud or hectic. Let a marching band practice in your apartment, and you will long for a little quiet. Quiet is one of those words that thankfully follow the "i" before "e," except after "c" spelling rule.

Definitions of quiet
  1. adjective
    characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
    “a quiet life”
    “a quiet throng of onlookers”
    quiet peace-loving people”
    “the factions remained quiet for almost 10 years”
    synonyms:
    unagitated
    not agitated or disturbed emotionally
    peaceable, peaceful
    not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war
    quiescent
    marked by a state of tranquil repose
    untroubled
    free from turmoil or worries
    tame
    very restrained or quiet
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    unquiet
    characterized by unrest or disorder
    agitated
    troubled emotionally and usually deeply
    uneasy
    lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
    disruptive, riotous, troubled, tumultuous, turbulent
    characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
    squalling, squally
    characterized by short periods of noisy commotion
    wild
    marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    (of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves
    “the quiet waters of a lagoon”
    synonyms: placid, smooth, still, tranquil, unruffled
    calm
    (of weather) free from storm or wind
  3. adjective
    of the sun characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sunspots e.g.
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    active
    (of the sun) characterized by an increased occurrence of sunspots and flares and radio emissions
  4. adjective
    not showy or obtrusive
    “clothes in quiet good taste”
    synonyms: restrained
    unostentatious, unpretending, unpretentious
    not ostentatious
  5. noun
    a period of calm weather
    synonyms: lull
    see moresee less
    type of:
    calmness
    an absence of strong winds or rain
  6. noun
    an untroubled state; free from disturbances
    synonyms: tranquility, tranquillity
    see moresee less
    type of:
    order
    established customary state (especially of society)
  7. noun
    a disposition free from stress or emotion
    synonyms: placidity, repose, serenity, tranquility, tranquillity
    see moresee less
    types:
    ataraxia
    peace of mind
    type of:
    calm, calmness, composure, equanimity
    steadiness of mind under stress
  8. verb
    make calm or still
    quiet the dragons of worry and fear”
    synonyms: calm, calm down, lull, quieten, still, tranquilize, tranquillise, tranquillize
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    agitate, charge, charge up, commove, excite, rouse, turn on
    cause to be agitated, excited, or roused
    types:
    show 4 types...
    hide 4 types...
    lull
    calm by deception
    compose
    calm (someone, especially oneself); make quiet
    appease, assuage, conciliate, gentle, gruntle, lenify, mollify, pacify, placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
    assure, reassure
    cause to feel sure; give reassurance to
    type of:
    comfort, console, solace, soothe
    give moral or emotional strength to
  9. adverb
    with little or no activity or no agitation (`quiet' is a nonstandard variant for `quietly')
    “sit here as quiet as you can”
    synonyms: quietly
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    unquietly
    with agitation or turbulence
  10. adjective
    free of noise or uproar; or making little if any sound
    “a quiet audience at the concert”
    “the room was dark and quiet
    synonyms:
    inaudible, unhearable
    impossible to hear; imperceptible by the ear
    soft
    (of sound) relatively low in volume
    noiseless
    making no sound
    silent, soundless, still
    marked by absence of sound
    stilly
    (poetic) still or calm
    tiptoe
    walking on the tips of ones's toes so as to make no noise
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    noisy
    full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds
    cacophonic, cacophonous
    having an unpleasant sound
    loud
    characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
    blatant, clamant, clamorous, strident, vociferous
    conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
    abuzz, buzzing
    noisy like the sound of a bee
    clanging, clangorous
    having a loud resonant metallic sound
    clanking
    having a hard nonresonant metallic sound
    clattery
    a rattling sound as of hard things striking together
    creaky, screaky
    having a rasping or grating sound
    rackety, rip-roaring, uproarious
    uncontrollably noisy
    reedy, wheezy
    having a tone of a reed instrument
    stertorous
    of breathing having a heavy snoring sound
    swishy
    resembling a sustained `sh' or soft whistle
    thundering
    sounding like thunder
    whirring
    like the sound of rapidly vibrating wings
    show more antonyms...
  11. adjective
    in a softened tone
    “a quiet reprimand”
    synonyms: hushed, muted, subdued
    soft
    (of sound) relatively low in volume
  12. noun
    the absence of sound
    “the street was quiet
    synonyms: silence
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    sound
    the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
    types:
    show 4 types...
    hide 4 types...
    hush, still, stillness
    (poetic) tranquil silence
    speechlessness
    the property of being speechless
    quietness, soundlessness
    the property of making no sound
    noiselessness
    the property of making no noise
    type of:
    sound property
    an attribute of sound
  13. verb
    become quiet or quieter
    synonyms: hush, pipe down, quiesce, quiet down, quieten
    hush, hush up, quieten, shut up, silence, still
    cause to be quiet or not talk
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    louden
    become louder
    louden
    cause to become loud
    show more antonyms...
    type of:
    change intensity
    increase or decrease in intensity
Pronunciation
US

/ˈkwaɪət/

UK

/ˈkwaɪɛt/

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