quietly
gb/kwˈaɪətli/ us/kwˈaɪətli/
A2
English
~ 2200
halkan, csendesen, feltűnés nélkül, csendben, nyugodtan, békésen
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to [verb] quietly
She closed the door quietly so as not to wake the baby.
Halkan csukta be az ajtót, nehogy felébressze a babát.
He walked quietly down the hall.
Halkan végigsétált a folyosón.
The teacher asked the students to work quietly.
Learner examples
Please talk quietly in the library.
Kérlek, beszéljetek halkan a könyvtárban.
He opened the box quietly.
Halkan nyitotta ki a dobozt.
She sat quietly in the chair.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'quietly' with 'quiet', which is an adjective; 'quietly' is used to describe how an action is done.
Meaning
With little or no sound
Collocations
speak quietly
|move quietly
|sit quietly
|close quietly
Synonyms
silently (Implies complete absence of sound, whereas 'quietly' may allow for very soft sounds.)
Antonyms
loudly (Indicates making a lot of noise, the opposite of 'quietly' in this sense.)
Themes
daily life
|communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a way that does not make much sound.
In a way that makes very little or no noise.
B1
2
csendben
B1
Usage pattern:
to [verb] quietly
They quietly left the meeting before it ended.
Feltűnés nélkül távoztak a megbeszélésről, mielőtt az véget ért volna.
The company quietly changed its policy without announcing it.
A cég csendben megváltoztatta a szabályzatát, anélkül hogy bejelentette volna.
She quietly helped her friend without telling anyone.
Learner examples
He quietly left the room.
Feltűnés nélkül kiment a szobából.
She quietly helped the man.
Feltűnés nélkül segített a férfinak.
They quietly walked away.
Common mistake:
Some learners think this only refers to sound, but it can also mean without being noticed.
Meaning
Without drawing notice
Collocations
quietly leave
|quietly handle
|quietly accept
Synonyms
discreetly (Focuses on avoiding attention for privacy or sensitivity reasons, often more formal.)
Antonyms
openly (Done in a way that is visible and noticeable to others.)
Themes
social behavior
|daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a way that does not make people notice you.
In a way that avoids attracting attention or publicity.
B1
3
He sat quietly by the fire, lost in thought.
Nyugodtan ült a tűz mellett, gondolataiba merülve.
She lived quietly in the countryside for many years.
Sok éven át békésen élt vidéken.
They accepted the news quietly.
Learner examples
She sat quietly on the sofa.
Nyugodtan ült a kanapén.
He lived quietly in the small town.
Békésen élt a kisvárosban.
They waited quietly for the bus.
Meaning
In a calm or peaceful way
Collocations
quietly confident
|quietly determined
Synonyms
peacefully ('Peacefully' emphasizes lack of conflict or disturbance, while 'quietly' may also imply low volume or subtlety.)
Antonyms
restlessly (Indicates a state of agitation or lack of calm.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In a calm and peaceful way.
In a calm, peaceful, or undisturbed manner.
Grammar
Dictionary form
quietly
IPA
GB/kwˈaɪətli/
US/kwˈaɪətli/
Syllables & stress
quietly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (quietly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: quietly
- Plural: quietlies
Word family
Expressions
go quietly
1/ɡˈoʊ kwˈaɪətli/
fixed phrase
Leave or accept without protest
To leave or accept something without making trouble.
Examples
- He decided to go quietly rather than argue.
- The minister went quietly after the scandal.
say something quietly under one's breath
1/sˈeɪ sˈʌmθɪŋ kwˈaɪətli ˈʌndɚ wˈʌnz bɹˈɛθ/
fixed phrase
Speak softly so others can't hear clearly
To say something very softly so people nearby cannot hear clearly.
Examples
- She muttered the answer quietly under her breath.
- He swore quietly under his breath when he saw the mess.
keep quiet
1/kˈip kwˈaɪət/
fixed phrase
Not speak or make noise
To not talk or make any sound.
Examples
- Please keep quiet during the movie.
- He kept quiet about what he saw.
quiet as a mouse
1/kwˈaɪət ˈæz ə mˈaʊs/
idiom
Extremely quiet
Very quiet; making almost no noise.
Examples
- The children were quiet as a mouse while their father slept.
- She moved through the dark house, quiet as a mouse.
quiet as a mouse
2/kwˈaɪət ˈæz ə mˈaʊs/
idiom
Completely silent
Very, very quiet.
Examples
- The children were quiet as a mouse when their father came home.
- She sat in the corner, quiet as a mouse.