silently

Meanings

1. 1adverb

   Without making any sound.

   Grammar: Modifies a verb: walk silently, sit silently.

   Patterns

   • do something silently
   • silently + verb

   She closed the door silently so as not to wake the baby.

   The cat moved silently across the room.

   He sat silently, waiting for an answer.

2. 2adverb

   Without speaking or expressing something openly; inwardly.

   Grammar: Often used with verbs of feeling or attitude: silently approve, silently suffer.

   Patterns

   • silently + verb
   • silently agree/disapprove

   Many people silently disapproved of the decision.

   She silently prayed for good news.

   He silently cursed his bad luck.

Common combinations

sit silently

They sat silently in the waiting room.

move silently

The thief moved silently through the house.

silently weep

She wept silently into her pillow.

silently agree

We silently agreed never to mention it again.

Synonyms and how they differ

quietly

Quietly can mean with little noise or with little activity, while silently means with no sound at all.

noiselessly

Noiselessly is more formal and emphasizes the complete absence of noise.

mutely

Mutely often means unable or refusing to speak, rather than simply making no sound.

Opposites

Word family

silent adjective

Making no sound; not speaking.

silence noun

Complete absence of sound.

silence verb

To make someone stop speaking or to stop something from being heard.

Commonly confused: silently or silent?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “silently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words