quiet

[kwahy-it]

adjective

quieter, quietest 

1. making no noise or sound, especially no disturbing sound.

   quiet neighbors.

2. free, or comparatively free, from noise.

   a quiet street.

   Antonyms: noise, noisy

3. silent.

   Be quiet!

4. restrained in speech, manner, etc.; saying little.

   a quiet person.

5. free from disturbance or tumult; tranquil; peaceful.

   a quiet life.

   Synonyms: serene, calm
   Antonyms: disturbance

6. being at rest.

7. refraining or free from activity, especially busy or vigorous activity.

   a quiet Sunday afternoon.

8. making no disturbance or trouble; not turbulent; peaceable.

   The factions remained quiet for twenty years.

9. motionless or moving very gently.

   quiet waters.

   Synonyms: unmoving
   Antonyms: active

10. free from disturbing thoughts, emotions, etc.; mentally peaceful.

    a quiet conscience.

11. said, expressed, done, etc., in a restrained or unobtrusive way.

    a quiet reproach;

    a quiet admonition.

12. not showy or obtrusive; subdued.

    quiet colors.

13. not busy or active.

    The stock market was quiet last week.

verb (used with object)

1. to make quiet.

   Synonyms: silence, hush, still

2. to make tranquil or peaceful; pacify.

   to quiet a crying baby.

   Synonyms: soothe, lull

3. to calm mentally, as a person.

4. to allay (tumult, doubt, fear, etc.).

   Synonyms: soothe, lull

5. to silence.

verb (used without object)

1. to become quiet (often followed bydown ).

noun

1. freedom from noise, unwanted sound, etc..

   At least there's quiet here.

   Synonyms: silence

2. 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.

   Synonyms: stillness, calm

3. peace; peaceful condition of affairs.

quiet

/ ˈkwaɪət /

adjective

1. characterized by an absence or near absence of noise

   a quiet street

2. characterized by an absence of turbulent motion or disturbance; peaceful, calm, or tranquil

   a quiet glade

   the sea is quiet tonight

3. free from activities, distractions, worries, etc; untroubled

   a quiet life

   a quiet day at work

4. marked by an absence of work, orders, etc; not busy

   the factory is very quiet at the moment

5. private; not public; secret

   a quiet word with someone

6. free from anger, impatience, or other extreme emotion

   a quiet disposition

7. free from pretentiousness or vain display; modest or reserved

   quiet humour

8. astronomy (of the sun) exhibiting a very low number of sunspots, solar flares, and other surface phenomena; inactive Compare active

noun

1. the state of being silent, peaceful, or untroubled

2. without other people knowing; secretly

verb

1. a less common word for quieten

Other Word Forms

• quieter noun
• quietly adverb
• quietness noun
• unquieted adjective
• unquieting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quiet¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of quiet¹

C14: from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere to rest, from quiēs repose, rest

Idioms and Phrases

• keep quiet
• peace and quiet

Synonym Study

See still ¹.

Example Sentences

Pure climbers have calm body language: quiet shoulders, steady hips, legs that flutter on the pedals instead of pounding away.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

In collaboration with the Kennedy lab at Scripps, the team showed that the brain’s parabrachial nucleus can filter sensory input to quiet pain when immediate survival takes priority.

Read more on Science Daily

BROADVIEW, Ill. — The streets were quiet just a block from the ICE processing facility where the National Guard deployed Thursday to protect federal agents and property.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Choose a quiet, comfortable location where you can have a private conversation without interruptions. Avoid bringing up the topic during family gatherings or other stressful situations,” it says.

Read more on MarketWatch

I see the same thing daily as I train revenue teams across generations: When a person’s wiring, values and work align, “quiet quitting” flips into high performance.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• allay 
• appease 
• assuage 
• hush 
• mollify 
• muffle 
• muzzle 
• pacify 
• please 
• relax 
• satisfy 
• soften 
• soothe 
• squelch 
• subdue