1
as in stillness
incapacity for or restraint from speaking
the violinist expects complete silence from the audience during his concerts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of silence
Lizz Schumer, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
This stands in stark contrast to Trump’s silence on the issue throughout her tenure as First Lady.
—Elizabeth Rees / Made By History, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
In March, a California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by X against the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, ruling that the litigation was an attempt to silence X’s critics.
—Jonathan Vanian,jennifer Elias, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for silence 
Noun
Grandmother moves off, collecting more in the silence of the dawn, while Mother shows me how to cut the grass.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
This stands in stark contrast to Trump’s silence on the issue throughout her tenure as First Lady.
—Elizabeth Rees / Made By History, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
The explosion, therefore, was potentially meant to silence him and his knowledge — but who officially arranged for Grove’s death is still unknown heading into season 2.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
In March, a California federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by X against the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, ruling that the litigation was an attempt to silence X’s critics.
—Jonathan Vanian,jennifer Elias, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for silence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silence
Noun
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Returning to the island at the end of a busy day and experiencing a rare quiet that’s almost impossible to to find in New York—even for someone who’s lived there for over a decade.Laura Parker, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
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Yaeji's With a Hammer takes one idea—namely, the volcano of rage that bubbled up inside the Korean-American artist during the quiet of the pandemic—and studies it from every angle.Pitchfork, Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Previously, supporting characters only played minor roles, and NPCs existed mostly just to make witty quips and fade back into obscurity.Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
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Constructing an actual, reliable inventory increasingly important to do given that recent laws have not merely set up costly programs likely to slip into obscurity and non-oversight, but because those spending programs are also freighted with regulatory effect.Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The Brazilian is back in the headlines for cupping his ears and shushing the home crowd at the weekend as Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-0 in Anoeta.Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
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Sheppard immediately popped up from his scoring catch and shushed the Knights students, whose jeers were well within earshot.Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Some voters may view restrictions on electioneering as suppressing their First Amendment rights, Huefner noted.Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2024
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At the same time, some argue that voter intimidation implies that someone is trying to suppress voting, not encourage it.Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Promises her who knows what, seeing that she’s got to drink herself to oblivion constantly and choke down pills for her unendurable pain.Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
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Pressly offers an antidote to this fearful existence, inviting readers to slip into oblivion: to recognize the freedom of being temporarily forgotten, and resist the forces that reduce them to what can be gleaned on the internet.John Kaag, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Throughout the first act, the auditorium was hushed.Tomas Weber, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024
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But acting as if those ways are to be hushed is the way of the old world.Danyel Smith, Essence, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Sabrina Carpenter The nature of Mendes' relationship with Sabrina Carpenter was always officially labeled as a friendship—but that did little to quell speculation.Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
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The external chaos was leaking into his personal life, manifesting itself into a series of indignities that did little to quell his anxiety about a country turned upside down.Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Some lawmakers who spoke to NBC News on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the conversations worry that Musk could try to push U.S. policy in a direction favorable to his financial interests.David Ingram, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024
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The aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted the GOP's struggle to pick a leader in 2023, when former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was selected after 15 votes.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near silence
Cite this Entry
“Silence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silence. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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