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silence
/ˈsaɪ.ləns/
absence of sound or noise
The library demanded silence to help students focus.
The library required no noise to help students concentrate.
general
the absence of any sound or noise
The silence after the storm was eerie.
The lack of sound after the storm felt strange and unsettling.
Can refer to a complete lack of sound or a relative quietness.
general
the act of refraining from speaking
She maintained silence during the argument.
She chose not to speak during the disagreement.
Often used to describe a deliberate choice not to speak.
Collocations
break the silenceto start speaking after a period of quietdeafening silencea silence that feels overwhelmingly loud due to its intensitysilence is goldensometimes not speaking is better than speaking
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
Silence can refer to both the absence of sound and the act of not speaking.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
The meaning of 'silence' depends on the context—whether it refers to sound or speech.
Word Origin
From Old French 'silence', from Latin 'silentium', from 'silens' (present participle of 'silere' meaning 'to be silent').
Usage Notes
Can be used as a noun or a verb (e.g., 'to silence someone').
Word Breakdown
sil-
related to being quiet or still
root-ence
a state or condition
suffixEnglish Dictionary