quiet

[ kwahy-it ]
See synonyms for: quietquietedquieterquietest on Thesaurus.com

adjective,qui·et·er, qui·et·est.
  1. making no noise or sound, especially no disturbing sound: quiet neighbors.

  2. free, or comparatively free, from noise: a quiet street.

  1. silent (def. 1): Be quiet!

  2. restrained in speech, manner, etc.; saying little: a quiet person.

  3. free from disturbance or tumult; tranquil; peaceful: a quiet life.

  4. being at rest.

  5. refraining or free from activity, especially busy or vigorous activity: a quiet Sunday afternoon.

  6. making no disturbance or trouble; not turbulent; peaceable: The factions remained quiet for twenty years.

  7. motionless or moving very gently: quiet waters.

  8. free from disturbing thoughts, emotions, etc.; mentally peaceful: a quiet conscience.

  9. said, expressed, done, etc., in a restrained or unobtrusive way: a quiet reproach;a quiet admonition.

  10. not showy or obtrusive; subdued: quiet colors.

  11. not busy or active: The stock market was quiet last week.

verb (used with object)
  1. to make quiet.

  2. to make tranquil or peaceful; pacify: to quiet a crying baby.

  1. to calm mentally, as a person.

  2. to allay (tumult, doubt, fear, etc.).

  3. to silence.

verb (used without object)
  1. to become quiet (often followed by down).

noun
  1. freedom from noise, unwanted sound, etc.: At least there's quiet here.

  2. freedom from disturbance or tumult; tranquility; rest; repose: This little beach is known for its quiet, but today a rowdy group of tourists is having a clambake.

  1. peace; peaceful condition of affairs.

Origin of quiet

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English adjective quiet(e), quite, from Old French quiet, quiete, and Latin quiētus, past participle of quiescere “to rest, rest in sleep, rest from toil”; Middle English verb quieten, partly derivative of the adjective, partly from Late Latin quiētāre “to calm,” derivative of quiētus; see also coy, quiescent

synonym study For quiet

2. See still1.

Other words for quiet

Opposites for quiet

Other words from quiet

  • qui·et·er, noun
  • qui·et·ly, adverb
  • qui·et·ness, noun
  • un·qui·et·ed, adjective
  • un·qui·et·ing, adjective

Words that may be confused with quiet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use quiet in a sentence

  • It contains teaffein, which stimulates the heart but quiets the nerves.

    Class of '29 | Orrie Lashin and Milo Hastings

British Dictionary definitions for quiet

quiet

/ (ˈkwaɪət) /


adjective
  1. characterized by an absence or near absence of noise: a quiet street

  2. characterized by an absence of turbulent motion or disturbance; peaceful, calm, or tranquil: a quiet glade; the sea is quiet tonight

  1. free from activities, distractions, worries, etc; untroubled: a quiet life; a quiet day at work

  2. marked by an absence of work, orders, etc; not busy: the factory is very quiet at the moment

  3. private; not public; secret: a quiet word with someone

  4. free from anger, impatience, or other extreme emotion: a quiet disposition

  5. free from pretentiousness or vain display; modest or reserved: quiet humour

  6. astronomy (of the sun) exhibiting a very low number of sunspots, solar flares, and other surface phenomena; inactive: Compare active (def. 8)

noun
  1. the state of being silent, peaceful, or untroubled

  2. on the quiet without other people knowing; secretly

verb
  1. a less common word for quieten

Origin of quiet

1
C14: from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere to rest, from quiēs repose, rest

Derived forms of quiet

  • quietness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with quiet

quiet

In addition to the idiom beginning with quiet

  • quiet as a mouse

also see:

  • keep quiet
  • peace and quiet

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.