1
a
: free from noise or uproar : still
a quiet room
The lights went down and the theater became quiet.
b
: making or involving no noise or very little noise
a quiet motor
a quiet conversation
Everyone suddenly went quiet.
Please be quiet—people are trying to study.
c
: tending to speak very little : not loquacious
He was a quiet, reserved person.
d
: unobtrusive, conservative
quiet clothes/colors
2
a
: marked by little or no motion or activity : calm
a quiet sea
At such an early hour, the streets seemed strangely quiet.
c
: not disturbed by noise or activity
quiet reading
a moment of quiet contemplation
: enjoyed in peace and relaxation
a quiet cup of tea
3
: secluded
a quiet nook
4
: carried out secretly or discreetly
quiet diplomacy
: not made known openly or publicly
worked with quiet determination
She had a quiet confidence about her.
He took a quiet satisfaction in a job well done.
quietly
adverb
quietness
noun
: in a quiet manner
an engine that runs quiet
Examples of quiet in a Sentence
Adjective
Breakfast at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, a members-only institution founded in the city now called Mumbai in 1846 by British colonial officers, is a meal of quiet elegance. The second-story veranda looks out over a small garden and, beyond that, the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. Outside is the tumult of horse-drawn carriages, touts, and taxis. Inside is peaceful stillness, broken only by the sounds of crunched-on toast and rustling newspapers.
—
Lyla Bavadam, Saveur, October 2008
One change I notice is that I get sleepy earlier than I used to, sometimes by 8:30 or 9 if I am having a quiet evening at home.
—Andrew Weil, Time, 17 Oct. 2005
I interviewed Virginia, who is totally blind, in a small local library. Walking with her guide dog, this young-looking woman arrived soon after I came in. We found a quiet corner to sit and talk while her dog settled beside her chair. At forty-three, Virginia was used to telling her story and found time for our interview in her busy travel schedule. She had just returned from San Francisco where she had spoken at the California Academy of Sciences and was about to leave for Montreal, Canada, to conduct workshops in diversity awareness.
—Mary Grimley Mason, Working Against Odds, 2004
Attributing their behaviors to their personal dispositions, we decide Julie is shy and Jack is outgoing. Because people do have enduring personality traits, such attributions are sometimes valid. However, we often overestimate the influence of personality and underestimate the influence of situations. In class, Jack may be as quiet as Julie. Catch Julie at a party and you may hardly recognize your quiet classmate.
—David G. Myers, Psychology, 2001
the quiet hum of the refrigerator
He spoke in a very quiet voice.
Surprisingly, the class was quiet.
He's a very quiet person.
She has a quiet disposition.
During the morning, business was quiet.
Some days at the store are quieter than others.
a quiet stretch of road
He led a quiet life.
Adverb
lie quiet and no one will guess you're hiding under the bed
Lyla Bavadam, Saveur, October 2008
One change I notice is that I get sleepy earlier than I used to, sometimes by 8:30 or 9 if I am having a quiet evening at home.
—Andrew Weil, Time, 17 Oct. 2005
I interviewed Virginia, who is totally blind, in a small local library. Walking with her guide dog, this young-looking woman arrived soon after I came in. We found a quiet corner to sit and talk while her dog settled beside her chair. At forty-three, Virginia was used to telling her story and found time for our interview in her busy travel schedule. She had just returned from San Francisco where she had spoken at the California Academy of Sciences and was about to leave for Montreal, Canada, to conduct workshops in diversity awareness.
—Mary Grimley Mason, Working Against Odds, 2004
Attributing their behaviors to their personal dispositions, we decide Julie is shy and Jack is outgoing. Because people do have enduring personality traits, such attributions are sometimes valid. However, we often overestimate the influence of personality and underestimate the influence of situations. In class, Jack may be as quiet as Julie. Catch Julie at a party and you may hardly recognize your quiet classmate.
—David G. Myers, Psychology, 2001
the quiet hum of the refrigerator
He spoke in a very quiet voice.
Surprisingly, the class was quiet.
He's a very quiet person.
She has a quiet disposition.
During the morning, business was quiet.
Some days at the store are quieter than others.
a quiet stretch of road
He led a quiet life.
Adverb
lie quiet and no one will guess you're hiding under the bed
Recent Examples on the Web
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
At first glance, this quiet corner of the North Atlantic might seem an unlikely place to search for animal life.
—Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Christopher Dinsmore, Baltimore Sun, 8 Dec. 2022
On another end were the quiet-seeking bedrooms and bathrooms, one with a step-down Roman shower.
—oregonlive, 7 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for quiet
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
The hotel is the essence of quiet luxury, a welcome contrast to its flashier Laguna neighbors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026
At first glance, this quiet corner of the North Atlantic might seem an unlikely place to search for animal life.
—Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Adverb
Some workers just quiet-quit, doing the minimum to hold on to their jobs.
—Christopher Dinsmore, Baltimore Sun, 8 Dec. 2022
On another end were the quiet-seeking bedrooms and bathrooms, one with a step-down Roman shower.
—oregonlive, 7 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for quiet
Cite this Entry
“Quiet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quiet. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quiet
1 of 3 noun
qui·et
ˈkwī-ət 
: the quality or state of being quiet
quiet
2 of 3 adjective1
a
: marked by little or no motion, activity, or noise : calm
b
: gentle entry 1 sense 2b, easygoing
a quiet disposition
c
: not disturbed : peaceful
enjoyed a quiet dinner for two
2
: not colorful or showy : conservative
quiet clothes
3
: hidden from public view
a quiet corner
quiet
adverb
quietly
adverb
quietness
noun
quiet
3 of 3 verb
: to make or become quiet
quieter
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
