From “Keep mum” to “Tranquil as a pond,” let’s unravel the charm behind these phrases that make silence speak louder than words.
Idioms for Quiet
1. Keep mum
Meaning: To keep quiet or stay silent, especially about a secret.
In a Sentence: When it comes to surprise parties, it’s essential to keep mum about the details to maintain the element of surprise.
2. Zip your lips
Meaning: A direct and emphatic way of telling someone to stop talking or to keep quiet.
In a Sentence: After the embarrassing incident at the office party, Emily decided it was best to zip her lips and avoid any further discussions about it.
3. Hold your tongue
Meaning: A request for someone to stop speaking or refrain from expressing their opinion.
In a Sentence: As the heated debate continued, Sarah had to remind herself to hold her tongue to avoid escalating the argument.
4. Silence is golden
Meaning: The value of silence, suggesting that sometimes saying nothing is more precious than speaking.
In a Sentence: In moments of deep contemplation, Tom believed that silence is golden, allowing him to appreciate the world around him.
5. Hush-hush
Meaning: Secretive or confidential, often associated with activities kept private.
In a Sentence: The new project was so hush-hush that even the most curious employees couldn’t uncover its details.
6. Mum’s the word
Meaning: A promise or agreement to keep something confidential and not share it with others.
In a Sentence: When Jenny shared her exciting news, her friends nodded, understanding that mum’s the word until the official announcement.
7. Cat got your tongue
Meaning: A playful way of asking someone why they are not speaking or are unusually quiet.
In a Sentence: After the teacher caught him red-handed, James stood there silently, the classic case of the cat getting his tongue.
8. Button your lip
Meaning: Similar to “zip your lips,” a direct command to stop talking or to keep quiet.
In a Sentence: During the tense meeting, the team lead had to remind everyone to button their lips and listen to the client’s concerns.
9. Clam up
Meaning: To become silent or refuse to talk about something.
In a Sentence: Whenever the topic of his past came up, Jack would clam up, avoiding any discussions about his mysterious history.
10. Put a sock in it
Meaning: An informal way of telling someone to be quiet or stop making noise.
In a Sentence: The neighbors were having a lively party, but it was getting late, so Mary decided to ask them to put a sock in it.
11. Speak softly and carry a big stick
Meaning: Advocating a peaceful approach but with the readiness to use force if necessary.
In a Sentence: Diplomacy should be our primary focus, but it doesn’t hurt to speak softly and carry a big stick in negotiations.
12. Still as a mouse
Meaning: Utterly silent and still, like a mouse that is not moving or making any noise.
In a Sentence: As they played hide and seek, the children were instructed to be as still as a mouse to avoid being found.
13. Quiet as a lamb
Meaning: Exceptionally calm and quiet, like the gentle nature of a lamb.
In a Sentence: Even though the storm raged outside, the baby slept as quiet as a lamb in its crib.
14. Soundless as the grave
Meaning: Completely silent, reminiscent of the quietness associated with a grave.
In a Sentence: When the power went out, the house became soundless as the grave, sending shivers down Mary’s spine.
15. Peace and quiet
Meaning: A state of tranquility and lack of disturbance.
In a Sentence: After a hectic week, all Jack wanted was some peace and quiet to recharge his energy.
16. Silent as the dead
Meaning: Profoundly quiet, resembling the stillness associated with the deceased.
In a Sentence: The library was silent as the dead, allowing students to focus on their studies without any disturbances.
17. Deathly quiet
Meaning: An intense and eerie level of silence, almost like the quietness before a storm.
In a Sentence: As they entered the abandoned house, the air was deathly quiet, heightening their sense of unease.
18. Pin drop silence
Meaning: So quiet that the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
In a Sentence: As the speaker took the stage, the auditorium fell into pin drop silence, eager to hear the announcement.
19. Quiet as a church mouse
Meaning: Extremely quiet and unobtrusive, like a mouse in a quiet church.
In a Sentence: During the solemn ceremony, the children were asked to be as quiet as church mice to show respect.
20. Mute as a fish
Meaning: Completely silent, resembling the quietness of a fish underwater.
In a Sentence: When confronted about the missing cookies, Timmy remained mute as a fish, avoiding eye contact.
21. Keep it on the down low
Meaning: To keep something a secret or not draw attention to it.
In a Sentence: The surprise anniversary party was planned to keep it on the down low until the last moment.
22. Muffled silence
Meaning: Silence that is subdued or softened, often by a barrier or obstruction.
In a Sentence: In the soundproof room, the experiment was conducted in muffled silence, eliminating external disturbances.
23. Noiseless as the night
Meaning: As quiet as the night, emphasizing the peacefulness of the surroundings.
In a Sentence: Walking through the deserted streets, the town was noiseless as the night, creating an eerie yet serene atmosphere.
24. Serenity in silence
Meaning: Finding peace and calmness within the quiet moments.
In a Sentence: In the solitude of the mountains, Lucy discovered true serenity in silence, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
25. Mum as a clam
Meaning: Extremely quiet and unwilling to speak, similar to the closed nature of a clam.
In a Sentence: During the interrogation, the suspect remained mum as a clam, refusing to provide any information.
26. Silent as the Sphinx
Meaning: Profoundly quiet, drawing a parallel to the mysterious and silent nature of the Sphinx.
In a Sentence: The empty museum felt silent as the Sphinx, enhancing the aura of the ancient artifacts.
27. Taciturn as a tombstone
Meaning: Uncommunicative and reserved, likened to the silent nature of a tombstone.
In a Sentence: His grandfather, known for being taciturn as a tombstone, shared his wisdom through actions rather than words.
28. Mum’s the order of the day
Meaning: Emphasizing the need for silence or discretion during a particular time or situation.
In a Sentence: In the courtroom, mum’s the order of the day as the judge prepared to announce the verdict.
29. Closed-mouthed
Meaning: Not willing to talk or share information, keeping one’s mouth closed.
In a Sentence: Despite numerous questions, the witness remained closed-mouthed, revealing nothing about the incident.
30. Tranquil as a pond
Meaning: Remarkably calm and peaceful, reminiscent of the stillness of a tranquil pond.
In a Sentence: As the sun set, the garden became tranquil as a pond, providing a soothing atmosphere for reflection.
Summary
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Keep mum | Keep quiet or stay silent, especially about a secret | When it comes to surprise parties, it’s essential to keep mum about the details. |
| Zip your lips | Directly telling someone to stop talking | After the embarrassing incident, Emily decided it was best to zip her lips. |
| Hold your tongue | Request to stop speaking or expressing an opinion | During the heated debate, Sarah had to hold her tongue to avoid escalating the argument. |
| Silence is golden | The value of silence, sometimes more precious than words | In moments of deep contemplation, Tom believed that silence is golden. |
| Hush-hush | Secretive or confidential | The new project was so hush-hush that even the most curious employees couldn’t uncover its details. |
| Mum’s the word | Promise to keep something confidential | When Jenny shared her exciting news, her friends nodded, understanding that mum’s the word. |
| Cat got your tongue | Playful inquiry into why someone is unusually quiet | After the teacher caught him red-handed, James stood there silently, the cat having got his tongue. |
| Button your lip | Direct command to stop talking or keep quiet | During the tense meeting, the team lead had to remind everyone to button their lips. |
| Clam up | Become silent or refuse to talk | Whenever the topic of his past came up, Jack would clam up, avoiding any discussions about his mysterious history. |
| Put a sock in it | Informal way to tell someone to be quiet | The neighbors were having a lively party, but it was getting late, so Mary asked them to put a sock in it. |
| Speak softly and carry a big stick | Advocating a peaceful approach with readiness to use force if necessary | Diplomacy should be our primary focus, but it doesn’t hurt to speak softly and carry a big stick in negotiations. |
| Still as a mouse | Utterly silent and still, like a mouse that is not moving or making any noise | As they played hide and seek, the children were instructed to be as still as a mouse to avoid being found. |
| Quiet as a lamb | Exceptionally calm and quiet, like the gentle nature of a lamb | Even though the storm raged outside, the baby slept as quiet as a lamb in its crib. |
| Soundless as the grave | Completely silent, resembling the stillness associated with a grave | When the power went out, the house became soundless as the grave, sending shivers down Mary’s spine. |
| Peace and quiet | State of tranquility and lack of disturbance | After a hectic week, all Jack wanted was some peace and quiet to recharge his energy. |
| Silent as the dead | Profoundly quiet, resembling the stillness associated with the deceased | The library was silent as the dead, allowing students to focus on their studies without any disturbances. |
| Deathly quiet | Intense and eerie level of silence, almost like the quietness before a storm | As they entered the abandoned house, the air was deathly quiet, heightening their sense of unease. |
| Pin drop silence | So quiet that the sound of a pin dropping could be heard | As the speaker took the stage, the auditorium fell into pin drop silence, eager to hear the announcement. |
| Quiet as a church mouse | Extremely quiet and unobtrusive, like a mouse in a quiet church | During the solemn ceremony, the children were asked to be as quiet as church mice to show respect. |
| Mute as a fish | Completely silent, resembling the quietness of a fish underwater | When confronted about the missing cookies, Timmy remained mute as a fish, avoiding eye contact. |
| Keep it on the down low | Keep something a secret or not draw attention to it | The surprise anniversary party was planned to keep it on the down low until the last moment. |
| Muffled silence | Silence that is subdued or softened, often by a barrier or obstruction | In the soundproof room, the experiment was conducted in muffled silence, eliminating external disturbances. |
| Noiseless as the night | Quiet as the night, emphasizing the peacefulness of the surroundings | Walking through the deserted streets, the town was noiseless as the night, creating an eerie yet serene atmosphere. |
| Serenity in silence | Finding peace and calmness within the quiet moments | In the solitude of the mountains, Lucy discovered true serenity in silence, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. |
| Mum as a clam | Extremely quiet and unwilling to speak, similar to the closed nature of a clam | During the interrogation, the suspect remained mum as a clam, refusing to provide any information. |
| Silent as the Sphinx | Profoundly quiet, drawing a parallel to the mysterious and silent nature of the Sphinx | The empty museum felt silent as the Sphinx, enhancing the aura of the ancient artifacts. |
| Taciturn as a tombstone | Uncommunicative and reserved, likened to the silent nature of a tombstone | His grandfather, known for being taciturn as a tombstone, shared his wisdom through actions rather than words. |
| Mum’s the order of the day | Emphasizing the need for silence or discretion during a particular time or situation | In the courtroom, mum’s the order of the day as the judge prepared to announce the verdict. |
| Closed-mouthed | Not willing to talk or share information, keeping one’s mouth closed | Despite numerous questions, the witness remained closed-mouthed, revealing nothing about the incident. |
| Tranquil as a pond | Remarkably calm and peaceful, reminiscent of the stillness of a tranquil pond | As the sun set, the garden became tranquil as a pond, providing a soothing atmosphere for reflection. |
Conclusion:
And there you have it, a symphony of expressions capturing the essence of quiet and tranquility. From keeping mum to being as tranquil as a pond, these idioms paint a rich tapestry of the myriad ways humans convey the beauty of silence.