silences
Puts to rest
Silences is the plural of silence—periods without sound or speech.
The silences between them grew uncomfortable.
Long silences punctuated the interview.
As a verb, silences means to quiet or suppress: She silences her phone during meetings.
The regime silences dissent.
To silence someone can mean to kill them: The witness was silenced before trial.
Absence of sound
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- lullTemporary period of quiet
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
- calmFree from agitation
serenity · soundlessness · noiselessness · mute · subdued · softened · hushed · whispered
Habitual verbal restraint
- taciturnityDisinclined to speak
- mutenessInability to speak
- wordlessnessLacking verbal expression
- tight-lippedUnwilling to divulge
unsaid · omission · withholding · reserve · discretion · secrecy · evasion · stonewalling
Interrupt continuity
- gapUnfilled space between
- restCessation of activity
- caesuraPause within a line
- beatRhythmic pulse or strike
interlude · intermission · lull · hesitation · pregnant pause · dramatic pause · breath · fermata
hush
Absence of sound
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- lullTemporary period of quiet
- tranquilityUndisturbed peacefulness
calm · serenity · soundlessness · noiselessness · mute · subdued · softened · hushed · whispered · shush
reticence
Habitual verbal restraint
- taciturnityDisinclined to speak
- mutenessInability to speak
- wordlessnessLacking verbal expression
tight-lipped · unsaid · omission · withholding · reserve · discretion · secrecy · evasion · stonewalling · non-answer
break
Interrupt continuity
beat · interlude · intermission · lull · hesitation · pregnant pause · dramatic pause · breath · fermata · suspension
suppression
Forcible prevention or concealment
- censorshipOfficial content restriction
- stifleSuppress or restrain
- gagMouth restraint or jest
muzzle · clampdown · cover-up · blackout · redaction · banned · forbidden · prohibited · taboo · restrict
- PinterThe Room, Betrayal, No Man's Land, Ashes to Ashes, Moonlight
- punishespunishes, penalizes, disciplines, chastises, castigates
- cuts offdisconnects, severs, detaches, unplugs, shuts off
- shut downturns off, powers down, deactivates, switches off, kills
- negative spacewhitespace, white space, empty space, void, emptiness
- ChekhovAnton Chekhov, The Seagull, The Cherry Orchard, playwright, Uncle Vanya
silencesamplifies
Increases strength or volume
voices · empowers · encourages · broadcasts · publicizes
silencesamplifications
Acts of increasing intensity
broadcasts · transmissions · projections · proclamations · announcements
- dead silenceTotal absence of sound
- in silenceWithout audible expression
- moment of silenceBrief silent tribute
- awkward silenceUncomfortable lull in conversation
- break the silenceEnd a hush
- radio silenceAbsence of broadcast communication
silence, silenced, silencing, silencer, silencers, unsilenced