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.

They stared at each other in absolute silence.

From Literature

Her husband and the other defendants in the case watched Bryd’s testimony in silence from their respective seats.

From Los Angeles Times

He told her only a “peaceful community rally in silence.”

From Los Angeles Times

On this February day, only the wind broke the deafening silence, whipping across the scattering of small colourful houses.

From Barron's

So we ate ours, chewing in silence, and oh, I’d never tasted chocolate like that before.

From Literature