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Showing results for silence.
Definitions

silence

[sahy-luhns] / ˈsaɪ ləns /
NOUN
absence of sound, speech
Synonyms
STRONGEST
blackout calm lull peace quiet reticence secrecy stillness
STRONG
censorship death dumbness hush laconism muteness noiselessness quiescence quietness quietude reserve sleep speechlessness still sulk sullenness taciturnity uncommunicativeness
WEAK
dead air hush-hush inarticulateness iron curtain saturninity
Antonyms
STRONGEST
agitation
WEAK
clamor communication noise talk
VERB
make or be quiet
Synonyms
STRONGEST
cut off gag muffle mute muzzle quash quell squelch stifle subdue suppress
STRONG
clam dampen deaden dull extinguish hush lull overawe quiet quieten shush soft pedal still tongue-tie
WEAK
choke off clam up close up cool it cut short decrease the volume dry up dumb dummy up hold one's tongue hush one's mouth hush-hush keep it down pipe down quiet down say nothing shut up sit on strike dumb
Antonyms
STRONGEST
allow encourage help let go permit release start
WEAK
be noisy communicate talk

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He turned to Hassan’s grave, his sun-grizzled face looking down at the mound of earth as he stood in silence.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

We had Zoom sessions where everyone kept their camera on, but nobody talked, just wrote in companionable silence.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026

The government has faced criticism over its prolonged silence on the issue - and this marks the first recognition of the involvement of its nationals in the conflict.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Passengers sat trapped in the darkened cabin in silence until a second all-clear appeared on their screens.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Rest is out of the question, but I sit in silence, my heart leaping with equal amounts of hope and terror at what lies ahead of us in the morning.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Vocabulary lists containing silence

myPerspectives 7.2

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Purple Hibiscus

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"Nadia the Willful"

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!