silence

noun
UK: /ˈsaɪləns/
US: /ˈsaɪləns/

  1. The state of not making any sound.

    1. The silence was deafening after the loud crash outside the window. [ ] [ ]
    2. The deep silence of the forest was broken only by the occasional bird song. [ ] [ ]

  2. A period when no one speaks.

    1. There was a moment of silence before she answered the question. [ ] [ ]
    2. The long silence made him realize that he needed to change the topic. [ ] [ ]

  3. The condition of not talking or writing about something.

    1. He kept silence about his plans to surprise her with a trip. [ ] [ ]
    2. Her silence on the issue raised questions about her true intentions. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

peace quiet hush
silence transitive-verb

  1. To stop someone from speaking or making noise.

    1. The teacher silenced the students with a stern look and gesture. [ ] [ ]
    2. The politician's speech was designed to silence his critics by addressing their concerns. [ ] [ ]

  2. To keep something secret or prevent it from being known.

    1. The company tried to silence the whistleblower to protect its reputation. [ ] [ ]
    2. The government was accused of trying to silence dissent through censorship. [ ] [ ]
silence intransitive-verb

  1. To become quiet.

    1. The room silenced as the speaker approached the podium to talk. [ ] [ ]
    2. The wind silenced, and a hush fell over the landscape as night approached. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "silence" in English means: The state of not making any sound., A period when no one speaks., The condition of not talking or writing about something..

The phonetic transcription of "silence" is /ˈsaɪləns/ in British English and /ˈsaɪləns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "silence": peace, quiet, hush.

Example usage of "silence": "The silence was deafening after the loud crash outside the window.". More examples on the page.