: the quality or state of being quiet (see quiet entry 2) : tranquility
1
a
: free from noise or uproar : still
a quiet room
The lights went down and the theater became quiet.
b
: making or involving no noise or very little noise
a quiet motor
a quiet conversation
Everyone suddenly went quiet.
Please be quiet—people are trying to study.
c
: tending to speak very little : not loquacious
He was a quiet, reserved person.
d
: unobtrusive, conservative
quiet clothes/colors
2
a
: marked by little or no motion or activity : calm
a quiet sea
At such an early hour, the streets seemed strangely quiet.
c
: not disturbed by noise or activity
quiet reading
a moment of quiet contemplation
: enjoyed in peace and relaxation
a quiet cup of tea
3
: secluded
a quiet nook
4
: carried out secretly or discreetly
quiet diplomacy
: not made known openly or publicly
worked with quiet determination
She had a quiet confidence about her.
He took a quiet satisfaction in a job well done.
quietly
adverb
quietness
noun
: in a quiet manner
an engine that runs quiet
quieted; quieting; quiets
1
: to cause to be quiet : calm
2
: to make secure by freeing from dispute or question
quiet title to a property
: to become quiet
—usually used with down
Synonyms
Noun
- calm
- calmness
- hush
- peace
- peacefulness
- placidity
- quietness
- quietude
- repose
- restfulness
- sereneness
- serenity
- still
- stillness
- tranquility
- tranquillity
Adjective
Adverb
Verb
Example Sentences
Noun
My hostess told me she had some records I might like to hear and she called for quiet in the room. People sat down on the floor in groups, sharing bottles of wine and slivovitz. The host put the record on a windup record player and Lester Young's saxophone yowled out of the silence.
—
Maya Angelou, Gourmet, November 2002
When my parents needed peace and quiet, they didn't put me in front of the television to watch a "Baby Einstein" video; they plopped me in a chair to watch my mom do housework or cook.
—Robb Moretti, Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2002
the quiet of a wooded trail
Can I have some quiet here? I'm trying to study.
I need a little peace and quiet.
Adjective
Breakfast at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, a members-only institution founded in the city now called Mumbai in 1846 by British colonial officers, is a meal of quiet elegance. The second-story veranda looks out over a small garden and, beyond that, the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. Outside is the tumult of horse-drawn carriages, touts, and taxis. Inside is peaceful stillness, broken only by the sounds of crunched-on toast and rustling newspapers.
—Lyla Bavadam, Saveur, October 2008
One change I notice is that I get sleepy earlier than I used to, sometimes by 8:30 or 9 if I am having a quiet evening at home.
—Andrew Weil, Time, 17 Oct. 2005
I interviewed Virginia, who is totally blind, in a small local library. Walking with her guide dog, this young-looking woman arrived soon after I came in. We found a quiet corner to sit and talk while her dog settled beside her chair. At forty-three, Virginia was used to telling her story and found time for our interview in her busy travel schedule. She had just returned from San Francisco where she had spoken at the California Academy of Sciences and was about to leave for Montreal, Canada, to conduct workshops in diversity awareness.
—Mary Grimley Mason, Working Against Odds, 2004
Attributing their behaviors to their personal dispositions, we decide Julie is shy and Jack is outgoing. Because people do have enduring personality traits, such attributions are sometimes valid. However, we often overestimate the influence of personality and underestimate the influence of situations. In class, Jack may be as quiet as Julie. Catch Julie at a party and you may hardly recognize your quiet classmate.
—David G. Myers, Psychology, 2001
the quiet hum of the refrigerator
He spoke in a very quiet voice.
Surprisingly, the class was quiet.
He's a very quiet person.
She has a quiet disposition.
During the morning, business was quiet.
Some days at the store are quieter than others.
a quiet stretch of road
He led a quiet life.
Adverb
lie quiet and no one will guess you're hiding under the bed
Verb
Clemens had few questions to answer about Piazza. The beanball and broken bat from 2000, and the Mets' tepid retaliation last season, were memories. And since Clemens recorded his 300th victory on June 13, the buzz around him has quieted.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 29 June 2003
When she walked down the hall past his classroom, the sounds of chaos came over the frosted-glass pane above the door. She had taken to making random visits; the sight of her in the doorway quieted the kids.
—Mary Gordon, Atlantic, May 1999
Even with that, Presser was so scared that he fled to Florida and moved from hotel to hotel till the gang war quieted down, with his side on top.
—A. H. Raskin, New York Times Book Review, 10 Dec. 1989
the museum docent told the rowdy youngsters to quiet down for the tour
quiet a crying toddler with candy
See More
Maya Angelou, Gourmet, November 2002
When my parents needed peace and quiet, they didn't put me in front of the television to watch a "Baby Einstein" video; they plopped me in a chair to watch my mom do housework or cook.
—Robb Moretti, Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2002
the quiet of a wooded trail
Can I have some quiet here? I'm trying to study.
I need a little peace and quiet.
Adjective
Breakfast at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, a members-only institution founded in the city now called Mumbai in 1846 by British colonial officers, is a meal of quiet elegance. The second-story veranda looks out over a small garden and, beyond that, the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. Outside is the tumult of horse-drawn carriages, touts, and taxis. Inside is peaceful stillness, broken only by the sounds of crunched-on toast and rustling newspapers.
—Lyla Bavadam, Saveur, October 2008
One change I notice is that I get sleepy earlier than I used to, sometimes by 8:30 or 9 if I am having a quiet evening at home.
—Andrew Weil, Time, 17 Oct. 2005
I interviewed Virginia, who is totally blind, in a small local library. Walking with her guide dog, this young-looking woman arrived soon after I came in. We found a quiet corner to sit and talk while her dog settled beside her chair. At forty-three, Virginia was used to telling her story and found time for our interview in her busy travel schedule. She had just returned from San Francisco where she had spoken at the California Academy of Sciences and was about to leave for Montreal, Canada, to conduct workshops in diversity awareness.
—Mary Grimley Mason, Working Against Odds, 2004
Attributing their behaviors to their personal dispositions, we decide Julie is shy and Jack is outgoing. Because people do have enduring personality traits, such attributions are sometimes valid. However, we often overestimate the influence of personality and underestimate the influence of situations. In class, Jack may be as quiet as Julie. Catch Julie at a party and you may hardly recognize your quiet classmate.
—David G. Myers, Psychology, 2001
the quiet hum of the refrigerator
He spoke in a very quiet voice.
Surprisingly, the class was quiet.
He's a very quiet person.
She has a quiet disposition.
During the morning, business was quiet.
Some days at the store are quieter than others.
a quiet stretch of road
He led a quiet life.
Adverb
lie quiet and no one will guess you're hiding under the bed
Verb
Clemens had few questions to answer about Piazza. The beanball and broken bat from 2000, and the Mets' tepid retaliation last season, were memories. And since Clemens recorded his 300th victory on June 13, the buzz around him has quieted.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 29 June 2003
When she walked down the hall past his classroom, the sounds of chaos came over the frosted-glass pane above the door. She had taken to making random visits; the sight of her in the doorway quieted the kids.
—Mary Gordon, Atlantic, May 1999
Even with that, Presser was so scared that he fled to Florida and moved from hotel to hotel till the gang war quieted down, with his side on top.
—A. H. Raskin, New York Times Book Review, 10 Dec. 1989
the museum docent told the rowdy youngsters to quiet down for the tour
quiet a crying toddler with candy
See More
Recent Examples on the WebWashington Post, 17 Mar. 2022
In the quiet of your solitude, close your eyes, bow your head, grit your teeth, clench your fist, ache in your heart, vow and dedicate yourself to achieve.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 20 Apr. 2023
But there was one voice that cut through the quiet of a losing streak.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2023
The Camry had just plowed its rear fender into the fence of Cazes’ two-story home, bending the front gate, dragging it off its rails, and creating a clamor that ripped through the quiet of an otherwise peaceful morning on the outskirts of the Thai capital.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2022
The sound of revving engines and shrieking tires reverberates across the city, disrupting the quiet of the wee hours.
—Bradley Berman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2022
In the quiet of a Hartford courtroom this week, four women who survived attacks nearly 40 years ago faced the man convicted of kidnapping them and spoke of the long healing journey that, in some ways, is just beginning.
—Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2023
My treat is a tasty, hot cup of coffee, watching the sunrise and experiencing the peaceful quiet in the house before my kids wake up.
—Meredith Leigh Moore, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023
After working from the relative quiet of home for so long, suddenly all the background noise became... noisy.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 18 May 2022
Neil MacFarquhar, BostonGlobe.com, 26 June 2023
Murray’s performance in Rushmore changed the entire trajectory of his career to that point, serving as the pivot from broad ’90s comedies to wringing grim laughs out of middle-aged lives of quiet desperation.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023
Image: Phil Spencer (Twitter) Microsoft has also been suspiciously quiet about Xbox Cloud Gaming over the past year.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 22 June 2023
On Sur La Table Our Ratings Design 5/5 Performance 5/5 Size 5/5 Features 5/5 Value 5/5 What’s Great About It This quiet yet powerful mixer comes with intuitive presets, an integrated timer, and a double-sided scraper that ensures no dough is left behind.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 22 June 2023
Find a new book and a quiet spot, or check out the activities calendar and join in.
—Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 20 June 2023
Hundreds of people dressed in black lined up outside the Po Fook Memorial Hall in a quiet suburb of Hong Kong just a dozen miles south of where her remains were found.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 19 June 2023
Hotez ended up eating his Father’s Day cake, but there was no peace and quiet.
—Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 19 June 2023
Wooing conservatives in Trump country, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stays quiet on rival’s indictment.
—Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2023
Kathryn Dill and Angela Yang, WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022
Some workers just quiet-quit, doing the minimum to hold on to their jobs.
—Christopher Dinsmore, Baltimore Sun, 8 Dec. 2022
On another end were the quiet-seeking bedrooms and bathrooms, one with a step-down Roman shower.
—oregonlive, 7 Nov. 2022
The quiet-quitting phenomenon where employees simply perform their duties without going the extra mile to forgo hustle culture has been rippling through the workplace.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2022
The emergence of the quiet-quitting phenomenon isn't a fluke, experts say.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2022
Some of the same companies staying quiet now have spoken up on human-rights issues in other parts of the world.
—Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 23 Jan. 2022
This quiet-running progressive resistance bike trainer that offers a road-like feel is once again our top choice for the best model.
—Allen Foster, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020
The Stadio San Paolo, Napoli's famed crumbling colosseum, erupted as Mertens headed home from Adrian's save, only to fall quiet after seeing the linesman's flag raised for an obvious offside.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 17 Sep. 2019
Casey Seidan, Ms, Rdn, Cdn, Health, 27 June 2023
But the controversy quiets as the Nile winds its way north, flowing into Egypt and onward to the Mediterranean Sea.
—Marina Dias, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
The world temporarily quieted in the lockdown, but our sensitivity to sound seems to have only grown in the post-vax period, if noise complaints data in 2021 is anything to go by.
—Eleanor Cummins, The New Republic, 6 June 2023
What’s Next: Years of intense debate have quieted, for now.
—Troy Closson, New York Times, 2 June 2023
How To Make Every Run A Great One Now for the good stuff: Our pros have simple, actionable tips for how to quiet that shamey internal dialogue and approach runs as your best self.
—Jacqueline Andriakos, Women's Health, 13 June 2023
Even some former critics of the kingdom see positive signs in Prince Mohammed’s efforts to quiet the region.
—Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 10 June 2023
Meanwhile, in the primary bedroom, the walls are lined in white felt, supple and quiet as fresh Alpine snow.
—Howard Christian, ELLE Decor, 24 May 2023
In more recent years, the star has traded in its steady, 400-day cycle of glaring and quieting for something much shorter and more spasmodic.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2023
See More
Noun
Russian bombs and missiles shattered the early-morning quiet in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, and other cities on Feb. 24.
—Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2022
In the quiet of your solitude, close your eyes, bow your head, grit your teeth, clench your fist, ache in your heart, vow and dedicate yourself to achieve.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 20 Apr. 2023
But there was one voice that cut through the quiet of a losing streak.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2023
The Camry had just plowed its rear fender into the fence of Cazes’ two-story home, bending the front gate, dragging it off its rails, and creating a clamor that ripped through the quiet of an otherwise peaceful morning on the outskirts of the Thai capital.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2022
The sound of revving engines and shrieking tires reverberates across the city, disrupting the quiet of the wee hours.
—Bradley Berman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2022
In the quiet of a Hartford courtroom this week, four women who survived attacks nearly 40 years ago faced the man convicted of kidnapping them and spoke of the long healing journey that, in some ways, is just beginning.
—Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2023
My treat is a tasty, hot cup of coffee, watching the sunrise and experiencing the peaceful quiet in the house before my kids wake up.
—Meredith Leigh Moore, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023
After working from the relative quiet of home for so long, suddenly all the background noise became... noisy.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 18 May 2022
Adjective
Prigozhin proved uncharacteristically quiet Sunday, a day after he was seen driving away from the military headquarters in the southwestern city of Rostov-on-Don that his forces had seized during the uprising.
—Neil MacFarquhar, BostonGlobe.com, 26 June 2023
Murray’s performance in Rushmore changed the entire trajectory of his career to that point, serving as the pivot from broad ’90s comedies to wringing grim laughs out of middle-aged lives of quiet desperation.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023
Image: Phil Spencer (Twitter) Microsoft has also been suspiciously quiet about Xbox Cloud Gaming over the past year.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 22 June 2023
On Sur La Table Our Ratings Design 5/5 Performance 5/5 Size 5/5 Features 5/5 Value 5/5 What’s Great About It This quiet yet powerful mixer comes with intuitive presets, an integrated timer, and a double-sided scraper that ensures no dough is left behind.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 22 June 2023
Find a new book and a quiet spot, or check out the activities calendar and join in.
—Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 20 June 2023
Hundreds of people dressed in black lined up outside the Po Fook Memorial Hall in a quiet suburb of Hong Kong just a dozen miles south of where her remains were found.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 19 June 2023
Hotez ended up eating his Father’s Day cake, but there was no peace and quiet.
—Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 19 June 2023
Wooing conservatives in Trump country, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stays quiet on rival’s indictment.
—Laura Blasey, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2023
Adverb
Cue the quiet-quitting backlash: The concept has sparked a flood of vehement commentary from business leaders, career coaches and other professionals lamenting what the shift away from hustle culture means for Americans’ commitment to their jobs, while some young professionals are praising it.
—Kathryn Dill and Angela Yang, WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022
Some workers just quiet-quit, doing the minimum to hold on to their jobs.
—Christopher Dinsmore, Baltimore Sun, 8 Dec. 2022
On another end were the quiet-seeking bedrooms and bathrooms, one with a step-down Roman shower.
—oregonlive, 7 Nov. 2022
The quiet-quitting phenomenon where employees simply perform their duties without going the extra mile to forgo hustle culture has been rippling through the workplace.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2022
The emergence of the quiet-quitting phenomenon isn't a fluke, experts say.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2022
Some of the same companies staying quiet now have spoken up on human-rights issues in other parts of the world.
—Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 23 Jan. 2022
This quiet-running progressive resistance bike trainer that offers a road-like feel is once again our top choice for the best model.
—Allen Foster, chicagotribune.com, 25 Sep. 2020
The Stadio San Paolo, Napoli's famed crumbling colosseum, erupted as Mertens headed home from Adrian's save, only to fall quiet after seeing the linesman's flag raised for an obvious offside.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 17 Sep. 2019
Verb
The fiber in this meal has helped to promote satiety by expanding in your gut, and the fiber helps to quiet your hunger hormones, which in the long run could help manage your weight better.13 The weight loss effect of fiber has also been shown in research.
—Casey Seidan, Ms, Rdn, Cdn, Health, 27 June 2023
But the controversy quiets as the Nile winds its way north, flowing into Egypt and onward to the Mediterranean Sea.
—Marina Dias, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
The world temporarily quieted in the lockdown, but our sensitivity to sound seems to have only grown in the post-vax period, if noise complaints data in 2021 is anything to go by.
—Eleanor Cummins, The New Republic, 6 June 2023
What’s Next: Years of intense debate have quieted, for now.
—Troy Closson, New York Times, 2 June 2023
How To Make Every Run A Great One Now for the good stuff: Our pros have simple, actionable tips for how to quiet that shamey internal dialogue and approach runs as your best self.
—Jacqueline Andriakos, Women's Health, 13 June 2023
Even some former critics of the kingdom see positive signs in Prince Mohammed’s efforts to quiet the region.
—Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 10 June 2023
Meanwhile, in the primary bedroom, the walls are lined in white felt, supple and quiet as fresh Alpine snow.
—Howard Christian, ELLE Decor, 24 May 2023
In more recent years, the star has traded in its steady, 400-day cycle of glaring and quieting for something much shorter and more spasmodic.
—Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quiet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English quiet, quiete, borrowed from Anglo-French quiete, borrowed from Latin quiēt-, quiēs "repose, sleep, rest, peaceful conditions," going back to Indo-European *kwi̯eh1-ti-, noun derivative of a verbal base *kwi̯eh1- "have a rest," whence Avestan š́iiā- "be glad," Old Church Slavic počijǫ, počiti "to have a rest" (causative pokojǫ, pokoiti "to calm, quiet"), Armenian hangeaw "has rested," and (from deverbal *kwi̯eh1-to-) Avestan š́iiāta- "peaceful, happy," Old Persian šiyāta-, Latin quiētus "at rest, quiet entry 2"
Adjective
Middle English quyet, quyete, quiete, borrowed from Anglo-French & Middle French quiete, borrowed from Latin quiētus "at rest, inactive, peaceful" — more at quiet entry 1
Adverb
derivative of quiet entry 2
Verb
Middle English quieten, borrowed from Late Latin quiētāre "to become quiet, make quiet, put to rest," derivative of Latin quiētus "at rest, quiet entry 2"
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2b
Adverb
1573, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of quiet was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing quiet
Dictionary Entries Near quiet
Cite this Entry
“Quiet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quiet. Accessed 9 Jul. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
quiet
1 of 3 noun
qui·et
ˈkwī-ət 
: the quality or state of being quiet
quiet
2 of 3 adjective1
a
: marked by little or no motion, activity, or noise : calm
b
: gentle entry 1 sense 2b, easygoing
a quiet disposition
c
: not disturbed : peaceful
enjoyed a quiet dinner for two
2
: not colorful or showy : conservative
quiet clothes
3
: hidden from public view
a quiet corner
quiet
adverb
quietly
adverb
quietness
noun
quiet
3 of 3 verb
: to make or become quiet
quieter
noun
Legal Definition
quiet
1 of 2 adjective
qui·et
: free from disturbance, interference, or dispute (as from an adverse claim)
quiet enjoyment of property
quiet
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to establish or make (title) secure by means of an action that produces a final determination of the respective rights of parties who are in dispute over property compare cloud on title
More from Merriam-Webster on quiet
Nglish: Translation of quiet for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of quiet for Arabic Speakers
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