1
as in stillness
incapacity for or restraint from speaking
the violinist expects complete silence from the audience during his concerts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in quiet
the near or complete absence of sound
the silence of the garden was refreshing after the din of the party inside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obscurity
the quality or state of being mostly or completely unknown
the book eventually vanished into the silence that awaits best sellers whose time has past
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to quiet
to stop the noise or speech of
the instructor quickly silenced anyone who tried to interrupt we need to have a repairman come and silence that door alarm
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2
as in to suppress
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
brutally silenced all political dissent in the country
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silence
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Zaslav’s initial silence paid off handsomely.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 8 Jan. 2026
David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
In this trial, participants received a treatment that carried new genetic instructions into the brain to reduce production of and silence the mutant huntingtin protein.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for silence
Noun
Soon the echoing silence at the Iowa Capitol will be replaced by the cacophony of democracy in action.
—Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Zaslav’s initial silence paid off handsomely.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
The ardor of contention, the pride of victory, the despair of success, the memory of past injuries and the fear of future dangers all contribute to inflame the mind and to silence the voice of pity.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
In this trial, participants received a treatment that carried new genetic instructions into the brain to reduce production of and silence the mutant huntingtin protein.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for silence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silence
Noun
-
Nature and animals became companions, and moments of stillness carried meaning.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
There was an air of somber stillness, with the mostly young crowd sharing hugs, and expressions of shock and disbelief.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
When the crashing stopped, an eerie quiet fell over the highway.—
Nichole Manna,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Since the departure of National Guardsmen from the state, there has been an uneasy quiet in Portland.—
James Ross Gardner,
New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What started as a restaurant built from equal parts passion and business savvy with a mission to resurrect Italian American food from culinary obscurity is now a global phenomenon.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The investigation, published in September, highlighted how 7-OH rose from obscurity to overtake the quasi-legal drug trade in American gas stations, grocery stores and smoke shops, triggering a wave of lawsuits and drawing federal scrutiny over its health risks.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Top sleep aid for kids This extremely popular sound machine uses an authentic human voice to calm babies to sleep with a calming, shushing sound.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Kempe then put a gloved finger to his lips, shushing the sixth consecutive sellout crowd in Anaheim.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This led organically to feelings of love for one’s Black nannies and friendship with the children of your Black live-in maids, but this warmth had to be suppressed.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Is grief, guilt, or shame suppressing your willpower?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Both brothers were intellectually precocious, but Scott could be shy to the point of speechlessness.—
Eren Orbey,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Combine that with EVs’ inherent benefits—quietness, smoothness, and low operating costs—and the case for electrification becomes irresistible.—
Alex Hewitt,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Jan. 2026
-
There is also a lot to appreciate in the quietness of the season.—
Morayo Ogunbayo,
AJC.com,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Even the guest features are reverbed to oblivion.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Not shocking or appalling, or overly complicated or computer-generated into oblivion.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silence. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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