keep quiet
Idioms-
Also, keep still.
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Also, . Remain silent; same as hold one's tongue . For example, Please keep quiet about the party . Also see keep one's mouth shut .
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Refrain from moving, stay in the same position; same as hold still . For example, The doctor gave the young boy a toy to keep him quiet while on the examining table , or It's hard for the baby to keep still unless he's sleeping . [Late 1300s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I think maybe they learned the lesson that it’s best to ignore us, but it’s probably going to be pretty hard for him to keep quiet.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2026
If only they’d heeded their instinct to keep quiet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
"When I was younger I used to just keep quiet and felt patronised and belittled," she said.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
He’s become close to a father and his usually nonverbal son who can’t keep quiet at shows, asking questions and singing along.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
The blind man was excited at the prospect of having caught something, and the young man had to tell him to keep quiet, or he would scare all the animals away.
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
