Active vs. Quiet — What's the Difference?

Engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits

Making little or no noise

Pursuing an occupation or activity at a particular place or in a particular way

Carried out discreetly, secretly, or with moderation

(of a thing) working; operative

Absence of noise or bustle; silence; calm

Denoting a voice of verbs in which the subject is typically the person or thing performing the action and which can take a direct object (e.g. she loved him as opposed to the passive form he was loved).

Make or become silent, calm, or still

An active form of a verb.

Making or characterized by little or no noise

Being in physical motion

Free of turmoil and agitation; calm

Functioning or capable of functioning.

Providing or allowing relaxation; restful; soothing

Marked by energetic activity; busy

Not showy or bright; subdued

Involving or requiring physical exertion and energy

Restrained, as in style; understated

Being in a state of action; not quiescent

Out of public scrutiny; known or discussed by few

Erupting or liable to erupt; not dormant

The quality or condition of being quiet

Marked by or involving direct participation

To cause to become quiet

Currently in use or effect

To make (a title) secure by freeing from uncertainties or adverse claims as to the ownership.

Openly acknowledged or expressed

To become quiet

Producing an intended action or effect

With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.

Indicating that the grammatical subject of a verb is performing or causing the action expressed. Used of a verb form or voice.

Having little motion or activity; calm.

Expressing action rather than a state of being. Used of verbs such as run, speak, and move.

Not busy, of low quantity.

Of or relating to the management of an investment portfolio by continually making investment decisions based on new information as opposed to maintaining a predetermined strategy or reproducing the returns of a market or index.

Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.

Being a source of electrical energy, as a generator.

Not showy; undemonstrative.

Capable of converting or amplifying voltages or currents, as a diode or transistor.

(software) Requiring little or no interaction.

Being on full military duty and receiving full pay.

(transitive) To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.

The active voice.

(intransitive) To become quiet or calm.

A construction or form in the active voice.

The absence of sound; quietness.

A participating member of an organization

The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.

Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.

The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.

Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.

Be quiet.

In action; actually proceeding; working; in force

In a state of rest or calm; without stir, motion, or agitation; still; as, a quiet sea; quiet air.

Emitting hot materials, such as lava, smoke, or steam, or producing tremors.

Free from noise or disturbance; hushed; still.

Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy

Not excited or anxious; calm; peaceful; placid; settled; as, a quiet life; a quiet conscience.

Requiring or implying action or exertion

Not giving offense; not exciting disorder or trouble; not turbulent; gentle; mild; meek; contented.

Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative

Not showy; not such as to attract attention; undemonstrative; as, a quiet dress; quiet colors; a quiet movement.

Brisk; lively.

The quality or state of being quiet, or in repose; as an hour or a time of quiet.

Implying or producing rapid action.

Freedom from disturbance, noise, or alarm; stillness; tranquillity; peace; security.

About verbs.

To stop motion in; to still; to reduce to a state of rest, or of silence.

Applied to a form of the verb; — opposed to passive. See active voice.

To calm; to appease; to pacify; to lull; to allay; to tranquillize; as, to quiet the passions; to quiet clamors or disorders; to quiet pain or grief.

Applied to verbs which assert that the subject acts upon or affects something else; transitive.

To become still, silent, or calm; - often with down; as, be soon quieted down.

Applied to all verbs that express action as distinct from mere existence or state.

A period of calm weather;

Eligible to be processed by a compiler or interpreter.

An untroubled state; free from disturbances

(electronics) Not passive.

The absence of sound;

(gay sexual slang) of a homosexual man enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.

A disposition free from stress or emotion

A person or thing that is acting or capable of acting.

Become quiet or quieter;

(electronics) Any component that is not passive. See Passivity (engineering).

Make calm or still;

Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting; - opposed to passive, that receives; as, certain active principles; the powers of the mind.

Characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity;

Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble; as, an active child or animal.

Free of noise or uproar; or making little if any sound;

In action; actually proceeding; working; in force; - opposed to quiescent, dormant, or extinct; as, active laws; active hostilities; an active volcano.

Not showy or obtrusive;

Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy; - opposed to dull, sluggish, indolent, or inert; as, an active man of business; active mind; active zeal.

In a softened tone;

Requiring or implying action or exertion; - opposed to sedentary or to tranquil; as, active employment or service; active scenes.

Without untoward incident or disruption;

Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative; - opposed to speculative or theoretical; as, an active rather than a speculative statesman.

Free from disturbance;

Brisk; lively; as, an active demand for corn.

Of the sun; characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sun spots e.g.

Implying or producing rapid action; as, an active disease; an active remedy.

With little or no activity or no agitation (`quiet' is a nonstandard variant for `quietly');

Applied to a form of the verb; - opposed to passive. See Active voice, under Voice.

Chemical agent capable of activity

The voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is performing the action or causing the happening denoted by the verb;

A person devoted to the active life

Tending to become more severe or wider in scope;

Engaged in or ready for military or naval operations;

Disposed to take action or effectuate change;

Taking part in an activity;

Characterized by energetic activity;

Exerting influence or producing an effect;

Full of activity or engaged in continuous activity;

In operation;

Of the sun; characterized by a high level activity in sunspots and flares and radio emissions

Expressing that the subject of the sentence has the semantic function of actor:

Expressing action rather than a state of being; used of verbs (e.g. `to run') and participial adjectives (e.g. `running' in `running water')

(of e.g. volcanos) erupting or liable to erupt;

Producing activity or change

Engaged in full-time work;

Being in physical motion;

Characterized by energetic bodily activity;