quiet
gb/kwˈaɪət/ us/kwˈaɪət/
A1
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Not making much noise
Making almost no sound.
Usage pattern:
[something] is quiet
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'quiet' (adjective) with 'silence' (noun).
Synonyms
silent (Stronger than 'quiet', meaning no sound at all.)
Antonyms
noisy (Full of loud or unpleasant sounds.)
Collocations
quiet room
|quiet voice
|quiet place
|quiet street
|quiet moment
Themes
daily life
|environment
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The library is usually very quiet.
- Please be quiet while the baby is sleeping.
- It was a quiet night in the countryside.
- The engine is surprisingly quiet for a truck.
- We enjoyed a quiet afternoon at home.
Learner examples
- The room is quiet.
- Please be quiet.
- It is quiet here.
- The park is quiet today.
- Her voice is quiet.
adjective
A2
property
2
Calm and peaceful
Calm and without much activity or noise.
Usage pattern:
[something] is quiet
Synonyms
peaceful (Emphasizes freedom from disturbance or conflict, not just sound.)
Antonyms
busy (Full of activity and movement.)
Collocations
quiet life
|quiet day
|quiet area
|quiet neighborhood
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They live in a quiet suburb far from the city center.
- It was a quiet weekend with no plans.
- The beach was quiet and almost empty.
- She enjoys the quiet atmosphere of the village.
Learner examples
- The street is quiet.
- We had a quiet day at home.
- It is a quiet town.
- I like the quiet garden.
Verb
B1
action
3
Make less noisy or calmer
To make less noise or to make calm.
Usage pattern:
to quiet [someone/something]
Synonyms
calm (Focuses more on reducing emotional agitation than reducing noise.)
Antonyms
agitate (To make more excited, noisy, or upset.)
Collocations
quiet a child
|quiet the crowd
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She tried to quiet the barking dog.
- He raised his hand to quiet the audience.
- The teacher quickly quieted the class.
Learner examples
- She will quiet the baby.
- He tried to quiet the dog.
- The teacher will quiet the children.
Noun
A2
state
4
State of little noise or activity
A time or place with little noise or activity.
Synonyms
silence ('Silence' means no sound at all, while 'quiet' can allow some low sound.)
Antonyms
commotion (Loud noise and confusion.)
Collocations
peace and quiet
|moment of quiet
Themes
daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We enjoyed the quiet of the early morning.
- He longed for some peace and quiet after work.
- The quiet was suddenly broken by loud laughter.
Learner examples
- I like the quiet in the morning.
- The room was full of quiet.
- We need some quiet now.
Grammar
Dictionary form
quiet
IPA
GB/kwˈaɪət/
US/kwˈaɪət/
Syllables & stress
quiet (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (quiet)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: quiet
- Comparative: quieter
- Superlative: quietest
Noun
- Base: quiet
- Plural: quiet
Verb
- Base: quiet
- 3rd Person Singular: quiets
- Present Participle: quieting
- Past: quieted
Word family
Forms
quiets
verb
quieting
verb
quieted
verb
quieter
adjective
quietest
adjective
Core family
quietly
adverb A2
quietness
noun
Related words
quieten
verb
Advanced or less common
disquiet
noun
disquieting
adjective C1
Expressions
on the quiet
1/ˈɔn ðə kwˈaɪət/
idiom
informal
Do something secretly
To do something without telling other people; secretly.
Examples
- They got married on the quiet without telling their friends.
- He left the job on the quiet.
peace and quiet
1/pˈis ˈænd kwˈaɪət/
fixed phrase
Calm with no noise or disturbance
A calm and silent situation without problems or noise.
Examples
- After a busy week, I just want some peace and quiet at home.
- We went hiking to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.
quiet down
1/kwˈaɪət dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Become less noisy or active
To make less noise or to become calmer and quieter.
Examples
- The children finally quieted down after dinner.
- Can you please quiet down? I'm trying to read.
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.