1
as in speechless
deliberately refraining from speech
the suddenly silent child had to be prompted to say hello
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
a naturally silent boy, he was often overshadowed by his louder siblings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in quieted
mostly or entirely without sound
the room was so silent that you could have heard the proverbial pin drop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in talkie
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silent
Vulture, 24 Jan. 2023
So the various greenhouses and whatnots were familiar to Martha-content enthusiasts as the vans quickly took us past the beautiful part of her property toward the far less handsome back end, where a near-silent feeding frenzy was underway.
—Curbed, 25 Apr. 2022
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2025
The silent generation leader, who has signed Bill Gates’ The Giving Pledge, instead pours the profits from selling her non-voting shares into charity.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silent
Adjective
The Meahers, who own much of the land around Africatown, remain conspicuously off-screen and silent.
—Vulture, 24 Jan. 2023
So the various greenhouses and whatnots were familiar to Martha-content enthusiasts as the vans quickly took us past the beautiful part of her property toward the far less handsome back end, where a near-silent feeding frenzy was underway.
—Curbed, 25 Apr. 2022
Noun
Staring at his Zoom camera, Welles scratches his head and remains silent for 20 seconds.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2025
The silent generation leader, who has signed Bill Gates’ The Giving Pledge, instead pours the profits from selling her non-voting shares into charity.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for silent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silent
Adjective
-
In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
10 Aug. 2023
-
Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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The reserved seats will be available starting in January.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
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Top with reserved mushrooms; garnish with additional thyme and pepper.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The journey proceeds slowly, with few hints of tension and nary a whisper of plot—until a single, wordless commingling of terror and betrayal, in which everything changes, never to be reversed.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Aug. 2025
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Retriever Refuses To Get Up in Morning, What Owner Does Goes Viral Sausage Dog Returns From Vet To Find an Unexpected Guest in His Crate Similarly for Roman, the short, wordless moment conveyed a clear message: the visit was over, and Roman was ready for the comfort of his own space.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But the whisky never strays too far from its wood-spiced core, with restrained elements of aspen, pine, birch, and cedar wood.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The restrained approach, however, raised a question: Why didn’t the Cubs get another starting pitcher before Thursday’s deadline?—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Aston Villa have had a quiet summer, which has led to varying opinions on their floor and ceiling.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
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Thessaloniki, however, pulses with spice-laden markets, waterfront cafés, and Byzantine mosaics tucked into quiet chapels.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Clone Wars originally aired in 2003 as a series of shorts on Cartoon Network, employing Tartakovsky’s signature style of angular forms, kinetic action and sparse dialogue.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Aug. 2025
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Hidden in the right side-leg of the shorts is a turtle emblem, representing endurance and unity, featuring a circular shell with lines echoing community connection and the medicine wheel.—
Nick Crain,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That failure is symbolized most starkly in the mute dissolution of his own group, formed to help save Chicago from its pension morass but which instead silently acquiesced in making that threat markedly worse.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
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Split mode gives you separate monitor and mute controls for both inputs.—
Phil Nickinson,
PC Magazine,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That presents her with a new problem — the groom's taciturn best man, Griffin, who will stop at nothing to make sure the wedding happens.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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What looks like a possible suicide is quickly revealed to be something far more sinister, and an investigation kicks off led by taciturn Investigative Services Branch (ISB) agent Kyle Turner (Eric Bana).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Silent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silent. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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