be silent
Hold your tongue
Be silent is a command or instruction to stop talking or making noise.
It sounds more formal or stern than alternatives like "be quiet" or "shut up": The judge ordered the courtroom to be silent.
As a description, it means to refrain from speaking: She chose to be silent rather than lie.
Remain silent
- say nothingRefrain from speaking
- tight-lippedUnwilling to divulge
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
hush-hush · keep mum · sworn to secrecy · off the record · unspoken · unsaid · withheld · omerta
Command for silence
- shhRequest for quiet
- whisperSpeech without full voice
- quietenTo make less loud
- hush upSuppress information deliberately
zip it · gag · stifle · suppress · muffle · soft-spoken · sotto voce · finger to lips
Unable to talk
- voicelessHaving no voice
- wordlessLacking spoken content
- mutedMade quieter or softer
- gaggedSilenced by obstruction
aphonic · dumbstruck · tongue-tied · lost for words · struck dumb · nonverbal · gestural · sign language
Complete lack of motion
- serenityUndisturbed mental quietude
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- calmFree from agitation
- meditationFocused attention practice
zen · mindfulness · contemplation · inner peace · quietude · centering · sitting quietly · vipassana
Producing no sound
- inaudibleCannot be heard
- soundproofImpenetrable to audio
- hushedReduced to silence
- stillUnmoving, or continuing
keep quiet
Remain silent
- say nothingRefrain from speaking
- tight-lippedUnwilling to divulge
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
confidential · hush-hush · keep mum · sworn to secrecy · off the record · unspoken · unsaid · withheld · omerta · cover up
shush
Command for silence
hush up · zip it · gag · stifle · suppress · muffle · soft-spoken · sotto voce · finger to lips · pipe down
speechless
Unable to talk
gagged · aphonic · dumbstruck · tongue-tied · lost for words · struck dumb · nonverbal · gestural · sign language · mutism
stillness
Complete lack of motion
- serenityUndisturbed mental quietude
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- calmFree from agitation
meditation · zen · mindfulness · contemplation · inner peace · quietude · centering · sitting quietly · vipassana · zazen
noiseless
Producing no sound
- inaudibleCannot be heard
- soundproofImpenetrable to audio
- hushedReduced to silence
still · unheard · white noise · anechoic · without a sound