silently
gb/sˈaɪləntli/ us/sˈaɪləntli/
A2
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
property
1
Without making any sound
Without making any sound.
Usage pattern:
to [verb] silently
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'silently' with 'quietly'. 'Silently' means with no sound at all, while 'quietly' can mean with very little sound.
Synonyms
quietly (Slightly broader; can mean with little noise, not necessarily completely without sound.)
Antonyms
noisily (Describes doing something in a loud or disruptive way.)
Collocations
silently watch
|silently cry
|stand silently
|move silently
|silently agree
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She stood silently in the corner, watching the scene unfold.
- He silently closed the door behind him.
- The cat silently crept across the room.
- They silently agreed to leave without saying a word.
- Tears ran down her face as she silently read the letter.
Learner examples
- He walked silently into the room.
- She looked at me silently.
- The baby was sleeping silently.
- We sat silently at the table.
- The dog waited silently by the door.
Grammar
Expressions
move silently
1/mˈuv sˈaɪləntli/
fixed phrase
Move without making noise
To walk or travel from one place to another without making any sound.
Examples
- The thief moved silently through the dark house.
- She moved silently so she wouldn’t wake the baby.
silently agree
1/sˈaɪləntli əɡɹˈi/
fixed phrase
Agree without speaking
To agree with someone without saying anything out loud.
Examples
- She didn't say yes, but she silently agreed by nodding.
- They all silently agreed that it was time to leave.
silently watch
1/sˈaɪləntli wˈɔt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
Watch without making noise
To watch something without saying anything or making noise.
Examples
- He silently watched the children play in the park.
- They silently watched the sun go down.