1
as in speechless
deliberately refraining from speech
the suddenly silent child had to be prompted to say hello
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silent
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Some are silent but able to smile and laugh; others make no sound at all, but do not appear to be unhappy.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 May 2026
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile the Sierra Madre Playhouse, built for the silents, has become the L.A. area’s newest performing arts center, where Wild Up will be in residence.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for silent
Adjective
It would have been met with a collective, silent nod from the rest of the roster.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
Some are silent but able to smile and laugh; others make no sound at all, but do not appear to be unhappy.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 May 2026
Noun
From there, the offense went radio silent.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile the Sierra Madre Playhouse, built for the silents, has become the L.A. area’s newest performing arts center, where Wild Up will be in residence.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for silent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silent
Adjective
-
His friends, from brother Luigi (Charlie Day) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) veer in a similar direction, somehow coming across less fully formed and three-dimensional than their nearly speechless inspirations from Nintendo‘s flagship franchise.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Sprinkle with the reserved hazelnuts and the parsley, and drizzle with the pul biber oil.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
16 May 2026
-
The audiences there were more reserved and showed their appreciation at the end.—
Zama Magudulela,
Travel + Leisure,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Looking at them fills her with a wordless unease.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
The wordless shot of the three guys enjoying doughnuts on their stakeout is worth a thousand hilarious words, and the back-and-forth where Greg attempts to get Officer Rory to convince Tommy to stay in college is very funny.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Puerto Rican rum production emphasizes column distillation and filtration, yielding a cleaner, lighter, and more restrained profile than many heavier Caribbean styles.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
It was described by critics as psychologically uneasy and emotionally claustrophobic, with Keough serving as the restrained emotional center of the film.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Yankees, who have scored eight runs over their losing streak, were otherwise quiet against Brandon Young and Baltimore’s bullpen, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranding five runners.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
12 May 2026
-
Treatment rooms are tucked into a quiet section of the hotel, and the menu covers the usual range—massages, facials, and body treatments aimed largely at travelers recovering from long flights or long days of sightseeing.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The documentary short is produced by Ryan Biegel, Vicky Liu, and Holly Siegel.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
His work fighting to accelerate research into finding a cure is set to be featured in an upcoming documentary short, Ring Every Bell.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That strong start ended against the Rangers, as Cabrera (3-1) allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings in his worst outing of the season, and the Cubs offense was on mute.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Three recent preprint papers that arrived within weeks of one another probe the possibility that dark matter is not a mute backdrop but an active participant in cosmic physics.—
Paul M. Sutter,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
But his shy, taciturn sisters had somehow surpassed him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
-
And Belichick, known for being extremely press-shy and taciturn, has returned the favor by showing his affection for her on social media and beyond.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silent. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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