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silent

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of silent

1 deliberately refraining from speech

  • the suddenly silent child had to be prompted to say hello
Synonyms of silent

dumb, mum, mute, muted, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless
Words Related to silent

inarticulate, tongue-tied

nonvocal, voiceless

dumbstruck

sulking, sulky, sullen
Near Antonyms of silent

articulate, eloquent, fluent, voluble, well-spoken

gabby, garrulous, loquacious, talkative, talky

outspoken, unreserved, vocal

facile, glib, silver-tongued, smooth-tongued
Antonyms of silent

communicative, speaking, talking

2 tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)

  • a naturally silent boy, he was often overshadowed by his louder siblings
Synonyms of silent

closemouthed, dumb, laconic, reserved, reticent, taciturn, tight-lipped, uncommunicative
Words Related to silent

aloof, indrawn, inhibited, introverted, reserved, restrained

sedate, self-contained, sober, staid

backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident, modest, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish
Near Antonyms of silent

free-spoken, outspoken, vocal

gossipy, talebearing

diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy

extroverted (also extraverted), gregarious, outgoing, sociable
Antonyms of silent

blabby, chatty, communicative, conversational, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, motormouthed, mouthy, talkative, talky, unreserved

3 mostly or entirely without sound

  • the room was so silent that you could have heard the proverbial pin drop
Synonyms of silent

hushed, muted, noiseless, quiet, quieted, soundless, still, stilly
Words Related to silent

calm, peaceable, peaceful, serene, tranquil
Near Antonyms of silent

boisterous, clamorous, clangorous, clattering, clattery, raucous, rip-roaring, roaring, roistering, tumultuous
Antonyms of silent

noisy, rackety, unquiet, uproarious

Synonym Discussion of silent

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking. silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.
    • the strong, silent type
taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.
    • taciturn villagers
reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.
    • was reticent about his plans
reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.
    • greetings were brief, formal, and reserved
secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.
    • the secretive research and development division

Learn More about silent

  1. Dictionary: Definition of silent Medical Dictionary: Definition of silent Spanish Central: Translation of silent Nglish: Translation of silent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of silent for Arabic speakers

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