silence

[sahy-luhns]

noun

1. absence of any sound or noise; stillness.

2. the state or fact of being silent; muteness.

3. absence or omission of mention, comment, or expressed concern.

   the conspicuous silence of our newspapers on local graft.

4. the state of being forgotten; oblivion.

   in the news again after years of silence.

5. concealment; secrecy.

verb (used with object)

silenced, silencing 

1. to put or bring to silence; still.

   Synonyms: gag, muzzle, quell, hush

2. to put (doubts, fears, etc.) to rest; quiet.

3. Military.,  to still (enemy guns), as by more effective fire.

interjection

1. be silent! “Silence!” the teacher shouted.

silence

/ ˈsaɪləns /

noun

1. the state or quality of being silent

2. the absence of sound or noise; stillness

3. refusal or failure to speak, communicate, etc, when expected

   his silence on the subject of their promotion was alarming

4. a period of time without noise

5. oblivion or obscurity

verb

1. to bring to silence

2. to put a stop to; extinguish

   to silence all complaint

Other Word Forms

• oversilence noun
• unsilenced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of silence¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English (noun), from Old French, from Latin silentium, derivative of silēre “to be quiet”; silent

Word History and Origins

Origin of silence¹

C13: via Old French from Latin silēntium, from silēre to be quiet. See _silent

Example Sentences

The characters are not afflicted with speechifying; silences allow the viewer to enter into the spaces between them, and to let their experience echo with one’s own.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But Hoover would be delighted to see Patel pushing the FBI back to its original mission: relentlessly persecuting people with funny names, foreign connections and undesirable opinions, and intimidating their domestic sympathizers into silence.

Read more on Salon

However, he acknowledges a lot of young men are "not as lucky" as him and encourages young dads to have conversations with each other and to "not suffer in silence".

Read more on BBC

"Their daughters are most unfortunate victims, they've had to suffer in silence and have been dignified in their silence," adds Nicholls.

Read more on BBC

During the protest, dozens of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa recounted what they endured in Libya, and a minute of silence was held for those who died trying to cross the Mediterranean.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• cut off 
• gag 
• muffle 
• mute 
• muzzle 
• quash 
• quell 
• squelch 
• stifle 
• subdue 
• suppress