quiet
Americanadjective
-
making no noise or sound, especially no disturbing sound.
quiet neighbors.
-
free, or comparatively free, from noise.
a quiet street.
-
Be quiet!
-
restrained in speech, manner, etc.; saying little.
a quiet person.
-
free from disturbance or tumult; tranquil; peaceful.
a quiet life.
- Antonyms:
- disturbance
-
being at rest.
-
refraining or free from activity, especially busy or vigorous activity.
a quiet Sunday afternoon.
-
making no disturbance or trouble; not turbulent; peaceable.
The factions remained quiet for twenty years.
-
motionless or moving very gently.
quiet waters.
- Synonyms:
- unmoving
- Antonyms:
- active
-
free from disturbing thoughts, emotions, etc.; mentally peaceful.
a quiet conscience.
-
said, expressed, done, etc., in a restrained or unobtrusive way.
a quiet reproach;
a quiet admonition.
-
not showy or obtrusive; subdued.
quiet colors.
-
not busy or active.
The stock market was quiet last week.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
-
freedom from noise, unwanted sound, etc..
At least there's quiet here.
- Synonyms:
- silence
-
freedom from disturbance or tumult; tranquility; rest; repose.
This little beach is known for its quiet, but today a rowdy group of tourists is having a clambake.
-
peace; peaceful condition of affairs.
adjective
-
characterized by an absence or near absence of noise
a quiet street
-
characterized by an absence of turbulent motion or disturbance; peaceful, calm, or tranquil
a quiet glade
the sea is quiet tonight
-
free from activities, distractions, worries, etc; untroubled
a quiet life
a quiet day at work
-
marked by an absence of work, orders, etc; not busy
the factory is very quiet at the moment
-
private; not public; secret
a quiet word with someone
-
free from anger, impatience, or other extreme emotion
a quiet disposition
-
free from pretentiousness or vain display; modest or reserved
quiet humour
-
astronomy (of the sun) exhibiting a very low number of sunspots, solar flares, and other surface phenomena; inactive Compare active
noun
-
the state of being silent, peaceful, or untroubled
-
without other people knowing; secretly
verb
Related Words
See still 1.
Other Word Forms
- quieter noun
- quietly adverb
- quietness noun
- unquieted adjective
- unquieting adjective
Etymology
Origin of quiet
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English adjective quiet(e), quite, from Old French quiet, quiete, and Latin quiētus, past participle of quiescere “to rest, rest in sleep, rest from toil”; Middle English verb quieten, partly derivative of the adjective, partly from Late Latin quiētāre “to calm,” derivative of quiētus; coy, quiescent
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing quiet
Scrabble: Words that Begin with Q
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Vocabulary Review, Unit 4
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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.
This is the quiet upgrade — the difference between something creamy and something dimensional.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
It just needs a quiet room, a long handshake, and a Washington that is looking the other way.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
They help scientists understand how often black holes switch between active and quiet states, how jets change as they age, and how surrounding environments can alter the structure of entire galaxies.
From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026
But leaders from the trust of a Birmingham-based school raised a further concern: girls at school might be worryingly quiet in class, but that's if they make it into school at all.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Out of bed, I riffle through my handbag until I come up with my notes from the pension bureau, scanning over them, looking for something to quiet my brain.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
