What does silent mean?
Silent means that no sound is made or that someone is not speaking. The word can describe a person, place, object, or event: a silent audience, a silent night, or a silent film. It often suggests deliberate restraint, especially when applied to a person who could speak but chooses not to. In phrases such as “silent on the issue,” it indicates that information or an opinion is being withheld. Silent is also used figuratively for signals or gestures that communicate without words, such as a silent nod. Compared with quiet, which often means relatively soft or low-volume sound, silent is more absolute: it normally implies the absence of audible sound altogether.
adjectiveMaking no sound, or not saying anything. A person may be silent because they are choosing not to speak, while a place or object may be silent because no sound is present.
- Making no sound or producing no noise.
- Not speaking; choosing to remain without words.
- Not saying anything about a subject, either deliberately or because words are unavailable.
"The room fell silent when the judge entered."
"The child remained silent during the entire performance."
"The report was silent on the causes of the accident."
"He gave a silent nod of approval."
Silent comes from the Latin present participle silens, meaning “being silent”—the same root that gave us silence and silently.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does silent come from?
The adjective silent comes from Latin silens, the present participle of silere, meaning “to be silent.” English borrowed the form in the late Middle English period, and related forms such as silence and silently developed from the same Latin source. The word belongs to a broad Latin family associated with being still, quiet, or without speech.
Related word forms
How silent is actually used
In general use, silent describes the absence of sound or speech. It can also mean deliberately not speaking about something, as in “silent about the issue.” “Silent” is more absolute than quiet, which may imply merely a low volume of sound.
Easily confused with silent
Quiet describes a low level of sound, while silent means that no sound or speech is produced.