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.
"Others may feel that we should simply keep quiet about this and try to be conciliatory, because of the United States' aggressiveness toward Greenland."
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
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
"When I was younger I used to just keep quiet and felt patronised and belittled," she said.
From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026
Late night legend David Letterman was an anchor of the CBS lineup for over two decades, and he can’t keep quiet about what he’s seeing from the network’s news division.
From Salon ● Jan. 11, 2026
Just listening and waiting and hoping that if I keep quiet for once, maybe God will speak to me.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
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.
