Silently: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿคซ
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silently

 

[ หˆsaษช.lษ™nt.li ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

in a quiet, subdued manner

Making little or no noise; without speaking or making noise. Carried out without speaking; not accompanied by speech or words. Done or performed in a discreet or unobtrusive manner.

Synonyms

mute, noiselessly, quietly, soundlessly, speechlessly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
silently

Used when someone or something does something without making any noise, often to avoid attracting attention.

  • She closed the door silently to avoid waking the baby.
  • He left the room silently after the argument.
quietly

Used to describe something done with minimal noise, typically to avoid disturbing others.

  • She spoke quietly so as not to interrupt the class.
  • They walked quietly through the old house.
noiselessly

Describes actions that produce no sound at all, often used to emphasize complete silence.

  • The cat moved noiselessly across the room.
  • He opened the book noiselessly during the lecture.
soundlessly

Used to describe a complete absence of sound, similar to 'noiselessly', but can be more literary.

  • The owl flew soundlessly through the night.
  • She placed the letter on the table soundlessly.
speechlessly

Describes someone being unable to speak, often due to shock or strong emotions.

  • She looked at the accident speechlessly, unable to comprehend what had happened.
  • He stood speechlessly, overwhelmed with joy.
mute

Refers to the state of being unable to speak, often used as an adjective or a verb related to turning off sound.

  • The movie characters remained mute during the intense scene.
  • Please mute your microphone during the meeting.

Examples of usage

  • She sat silently in the corner, lost in her own thoughts.
  • The ninja moved silently through the shadows, undetected by the guards.
  • They exchanged glances and then nodded silently, understanding each other without words.
  • The librarian silently shelved the books, careful not to disturb the readers.
  • The sun rose silently over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange.

Translations

Translations of the word "silently" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น silenciosamente

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคšเฅเคชเคšเคพเคช

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช still

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ diam-diam

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั‚ะธั…ะพ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ cicho

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ้™ใ‹ใซ (ใ—ใšใ‹ใซ)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท silencieusement

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ silenciosamente

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sessizce

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์กฐ์šฉํžˆ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุจุตู…ุช

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ tiลกe

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ ticho

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ้ป˜้ป˜ๅœฐ (mรฒmรฒ de)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ tiho

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hรฆgt og hljรณtt

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ าฏะฝัั–ะท

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒฉแƒฃแƒ›แƒแƒ“

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sษ™ssizcษ™

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ silenciosamente

Etymology

The word 'silently' is derived from the Middle English word 'silentli', which comes from the Old English 'sฤซlentlฤซce'. The concept of silence has been valued in various cultures throughout history, often associated with contemplation, meditation, and respect. Being able to act or move silently has been a skill appreciated in stealth, espionage, and peaceful environments alike.

See also: silence, silent.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,436 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.