silence
noun
-
a refusal to speak when expected“Their silence about my contribution was surprising.”muteness
-
the trait of keeping things secretsecrecysecretiveness
-
the absence of sound“The silence of the forest was relaxing compared to the din of the city.”quiet
-
the state of being silent, as when no one is speaking“There was a shocked silence.”
verb
-
cause to be quiet or not talk“Please silence the children in the church!”hush
-
keep from expression, for example by threats or pressure“All dissenters were silenced when the dictator assumed power”