silent
adjective
si·lent
| \ ˈsī-lənt
\
\
Definition of silent
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: making no utterance : mute, speechless
b
: indisposed to speak : not loquacious
2
: free from sound or noise : still
3
: performed or borne without utterance : unspoken
silent prayer silent grief
4a
: making no mention
history is silent about this person
b
: not widely or generally known or appreciated
the silent pressures on a person in public office
c
: making no protest or outcry
the silent majority
5
: unpronounced
the silent b in doubt
6
: not exhibiting the usual signs or symptoms of presence
a silent infection
7a
: made without spoken dialogue
silent movies
b
: of or relating to silent movies
silent
nounDefinition of silent (Entry 2 of 2)
: a motion picture made without spoken dialogue
—usually used in plural
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Synonyms & Antonyms for silent
Synonyms: Adjective
dumb, mum, mute, muted, speechless, uncommunicative, wordless
Antonyms: Adjective
communicative, speaking, talking
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Examples of silent in a Sentence
Adjective
She was silent for a few minutes as she thought about how to answer him. The crowd fell silent as the horrible news was read aloud. My father was a very silent man. He was the strong, silent type. He said he would call me, but the phone was silent all day. A long, silent pause followed her reply.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
With the exception of his son Yair, Netanyahu’s usual backers were silent Friday on the Tlaib-Omar situation, neither supporting or criticizing. — Los Angeles Times, "Israel reverses again, but Rep. Tlaib refuses invitation to visit, citing ‘oppressive conditions’," 16 Aug. 2019 This new breed, led by Koepka, 29, and McIlroy, 30, won’t be silent. — Karen Crouse, New York Times, "Golf’s New Breed Tries to Speed Things Up," 15 Aug. 2019 Swift, who had long remained silent on political issues has recently become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights. — Katherine Schaffstall, The Hollywood Reporter, "Taylor Swift Reveals Why She Decided to Publicly Advocate for LGBTQ Rights," 8 Aug. 2019 This is not to suggest that our planet is silent: The calls of some species of cicada can surpass 110 dB. Thunder claps at 120. — Jennifer Emerling, National Geographic, "Seeking silence on a California road trip," 6 Aug. 2019 As a journalistic organization, Fortune refuses to be silent while these injustices continue to occur around the world. — Lydia Belanger, Fortune, "The 10 Most Urgent Press Freedom Cases Around the World," 1 Aug. 2019 Ethiopia’s Constitution is silent on what should be done in the event a state or federal government refusing to entertain a request to secede. — Yonatan Fessha, Quartz Africa, "Ethiopia is facing mounting tensions as an ethnic minority community demands secession," 31 July 2019 There’s a misconception that drowning is a kid jumping into a pool and not being able to got out and there’s this big commotion surrounding it, but drownings can be — and often are — silent. — Jennifer Bolton, Houston Chronicle, "Don’t think it can happen to you? Pool safety tips from Deer Park police," 24 July 2019 The Republican National Committee was silent for more than a day. — Anchorage Daily News, "‘He always doubles down’: Inside the political crisis caused by Trump’s racist tweets," 21 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Schoenberg, with the aid of two UCLA students, tries out his idea by imagining the events of his life as depicted in different film genres—silents, noir mysteries, Disney cartoons, musicals and westerns. — Heidi Waleson, WSJ, "‘Schoenberg in Hollywood’ Review: Grandiose Fantasy," 20 Nov. 2018 And in the midst of Weinstein’s wave of accusers coming forward last year, the mogul was radio silent until actress Lupita Nyong’o shared her own account of his alleged misconduct towards her. — Allison Mcgevna, Glamour, "A Year Later, Is the #MeToo Movement Stuck in Hollywood?," 5 Oct. 2018 There were silent and live auctions, with items including jewelry, signed memorabilia from players like Bryce Harper, Jose Altuve, and Ken Griffey Jr., a trip to MLB All-Star week, as well as the ability to donate directly to Team Gleason. — David Herder, SI.com, ""This Is Baseball's Disease": ESPN's Jon Sciambi Rallies Names Around Baseball to ALS Gala," 6 June 2018 Barca are remaining silent on the subject of Griezmann's future but it is expected that the Frenchman will complete a move to the Nou Camp this summer, leaving his current employers in desperate need of goals. — SI.com, "Atletico Madrid Line Up Move for West Brom Striker as Unlikely Antoine Griezmann Replacement," 26 May 2018 Against the noisiness of a (criminal) minority, Nixon posited the silent, victimized majority, a note his Administration sounded over and over. — Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, "The Rise of the Victims’-Rights Movement," 14 May 2018 There were silent and live auctions, a wine tasting, dinner, an award presentation and dancing. — Carol Kovach, cleveland.com, "Angel Gala raises $125,000 for St. Michael School in Independence, Brecksville," 29 Apr. 2018 As the silents move on to their reward, and as the boomers (the cohort of people born between 1946 and 1964) age, the boomers make up a greater portion of the 65-plus age bracket tracked by researchers who study alcohol consumption. — Joel Achenbach, chicagotribune.com, "Study shows baby boomers are drinking alcohol at an alarming rate," 20 Apr. 2018 Both Dunphy and McKie have been unavailable for comment and likely will continue remaining silent until a deal is finalized. — Marc Narducci, Philly.com, "Negotiations ongoing over Fran Dunphy's exit from Temple, source says," 31 Mar. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'silent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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