Calm vs. Quiet — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 26, 2023
Calm refers to a state of tranquility or peace, while Quiet denotes an absence of sound or noise.
Difference Between Calm and Quiet
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Calm generally describes a state of mind or conditions without agitation or disturbance. It can pertain to an individual’s emotional state or to a larger atmosphere, suggesting an absence of turmoil or stress. Quiet, on the other hand, usually relates to an absence or low level of sound. Something can be quiet without necessarily being calm.
In the context of water, for example, a lake might be calm when it has no ripples or waves, indicating stillness. That same lake, whether calm or turbulent, could be quiet if there’s no sound emanating from it or around its vicinity.
People often use calm to refer to someone who remains steady and unflustered in stressful situations. This person's demeanor is not easily shaken by external events. Quiet, when referred to a person, typically indicates someone who doesn’t speak much or whose presence isn’t loudly noticeable.
A room might be quiet because no one is speaking, the TV is off, and there's no music playing. However, the individuals inside that room might not be calm if they are anxiously waiting for news or dealing with internal tension.
It's worth noting that while calm and quiet can sometimes be used interchangeably, especially in poetic or metaphorical contexts, they hold distinct primary meanings. A calm evening might be one without any chaotic events, whereas a quiet evening could be one without much noise.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
State of tranquility or peace.
Absence or low level of sound.
Application to People
Refers to someone's emotional steadiness.
Describes someone who doesn’t speak much.
Environmental Context
Can describe atmospheres without turmoil.
Typically describes places without noise.
Interchangeability
Can sometimes be used in place of quiet.
Not always a perfect substitute for calm.
Relation to Sound
Doesn’t inherently relate to sound levels.
Directly relates to sound levels.
Compare with Definitions
Calm
Not windy or stormy.
It was a calm day at the beach.
Quiet
Out of public scrutiny; known or discussed by few
Wanted to keep the incident quiet until after the election.
Calm
Unruffled or undisturbed.
His calm demeanor was reassuring.
Quiet
Lacking or free from sound.
The library was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Calm
Not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions
She had to keep calm at all costs
His voice was calm
Quiet
Reserved or not prone to speaking much.
She's always been a quiet person.
Calm
(of the weather) pleasantly free from wind
The night was clear and calm
Quiet
Calm and peaceful.
It was a quiet evening at home.
Calm
The absence of strong emotions; calm feelings
His usual calm deserted him
Quiet
Carried out discreetly or without fuss.
They had a quiet wedding with only close family.
Calm
The absence of wind
In the centre of the storm calm prevailed
Quiet
Making little or no noise
I was as quiet as I could be, but he knew I was there
The car has a quiet, economical engine
Calm
Make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe
I took him inside and tried to calm him down
Quiet
Carried out discreetly, secretly, or with moderation
We wanted a quiet wedding
I'll have a quiet word with him
Calm
Nearly or completely motionless; undisturbed
The calm surface of the lake.
Quiet
Absence of noise or bustle; silence; calm
The ringing of the telephone shattered the early morning quiet
Calm
Not excited or agitated; composed
The president was calm throughout the global crisis.
Quiet
Make or become silent, calm, or still
The journalists quieted down as Judy stepped on to the dais
There are ways of quieting kids down
Calm
An absence or cessation of motion; stillness.
Quiet
Making or characterized by little or no noise
A quiet library.
A quiet street.
A quiet, well tuned engine.
Calm
A condition of no wind or a wind with a speed of less than 1 knot (1.15 miles per hour; 1.9 kilometers per hour), according to the Beaufort scale.
Quiet
Free of turmoil and agitation; calm
A quiet lake.
A quiet place in the country.
Calm
Tranquility or serenity
"an unaccustomed reticence that I took to be the calm that follows rage" (Jeanne Marie Laskas).
Quiet
Providing or allowing relaxation; restful; soothing
A quiet afternoon nap.
A quiet tune on the flute.
Calm
To make or become calm or quiet
A warm bath will calm you. After the storm, the air calmed.
Quiet
Not showy or bright; subdued
A room decorated in quiet colors.
Calm
(of a person) Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
Quiet
Restrained, as in style; understated
A quiet strength.
A quiet life.
Calm
(of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance.
Quiet
The quality or condition of being quiet
"A menacing quiet fills the empty streets" (Time).
Calm
(of water) with few or no waves on the surface; not rippled.
Quiet
To cause to become quiet
The teacher quieted the students.
Calm
Without wind or storm.
Quiet
To make (a title) secure by freeing from uncertainties or adverse claims as to the ownership.
Calm
(in a person) The state of being calm; peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion.
Quiet
To become quiet
The child wouldn't quiet down for me.
Calm
(in a place or situation) The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance.
Quiet
With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.
I can't hear the music; it is too quiet.
Calm
A period of time without wind.
Quiet
Having little motion or activity; calm.
The sea was quiet
A quiet night at home
All quiet on the Western front
Calm
(transitive) To make calm.
To calm a crying baby
To calm the passions
Quiet
Not busy, of low quantity.
The traffic was quiet for a Monday morning.
Business was quiet for the season.
Calm
(intransitive) To become calm.
Quiet
Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.
He's a very quiet man usually, but is very chatty after a few beers.
Calm
Freedom from motion, agitation, or disturbance; a cessation or absence of that which causes motion or disturbance, as of winds or waves; tranquility; stillness; quiet; serenity.
The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
A calm before a storm is commonly a peace of a man's own making.
Quiet
Not showy; undemonstrative.
A quiet dress
Quiet colours
A quiet movement
Calm
To make calm; to render still or quiet, as elements; as, to calm the winds.
To calm the tempest raised by Eolus.
Quiet
(software) Requiring little or no interaction.
A quiet install
Calm
To deliver from agitation or excitement; to still or soothe, as the mind or passions.
Passions which seem somewhat calmed.
Quiet
(transitive) To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.
Can you quiet your child? He’s making lots of noise.
The umpire quieted the crowd so the game could continue in peace.
Calm
Not stormy; without motion, as of winds or waves; still; quiet; serene; undisturbed.
Now all is calm, and fresh, and still.
Quiet
(intransitive) To become quiet or calm.
When you quiet, we can start talking.
Calm
Undisturbed by passion or emotion; not agitated or excited; tranquil; quiet in act or speech.
Such calm old age as conscience pureAnd self-commanding hearts ensure.
Quiet
The absence of sound; quietness.
There was a strange quiet in the normally very lively plaza.
We need a bit of quiet before we can start the show.
Calm
Steadiness of mind under stress;
He accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity
Quiet
The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
Calm
Make calm or still;
Quiet the dragons of worry and fear
Quiet
The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.
Calm
Make steady;
Steady yourself
Quiet
Be quiet.
Quiet! The children are sleeping.
Calm
Become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation;
After the fight both men need to cool off.
It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again.
Quiet
In a state of rest or calm; without stir, motion, or agitation; still; as, a quiet sea; quiet air.
They . . . were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
Calm
Cause to be calm or quiet as by administering a sedative to;
The patient must be sedated before the operation
Quiet
Free from noise or disturbance; hushed; still.
Calm
Not agitated; without losing self-possession;
Spoke in a calm voice
Remained calm throughout the uproar
Quiet
Not excited or anxious; calm; peaceful; placid; settled; as, a quiet life; a quiet conscience.
That son, who on the quiet state of manSuch trouble brought.
Calm
Characterized by absence of emotional agitation;
Calm acceptance of the inevitable
Remained serene in the midst of turbulence
A serene expression on her face
She became more tranquil
Tranquil life in the country
Quiet
Not giving offense; not exciting disorder or trouble; not turbulent; gentle; mild; meek; contented.
The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.
I will sit as quiet as a lamb.
Calm
(of weather) free from storm or wind;
Calm seas
Quiet
Not showy; not such as to attract attention; undemonstrative; as, a quiet dress; quiet colors; a quiet movement.
Calm
Marked by freedom from agitation or excitement;
The rioters gradually became calm and slowly dispersed
Quiet
The quality or state of being quiet, or in repose; as an hour or a time of quiet.
Calm
A state of peace and tranquility.
The forest was calm after the rain.
Quiet
Freedom from disturbance, noise, or alarm; stillness; tranquillity; peace; security.
And join with thee, calm Peace and Quiet.
Calm
Lacking agitation or strong emotion.
She remained calm during the emergency.
Quiet
To stop motion in; to still; to reduce to a state of rest, or of silence.
Calm
Still, without movement.
The water was calm, reflecting the sky perfectly.
Quiet
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.
Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.
Quiet
To become still, silent, or calm; - often with down; as, be soon quieted down.
Quiet
A period of calm weather;
There was a lull in the storm
Quiet
An untroubled state; free from disturbances
Quiet
The absence of sound;
He needed silence in order to sleep
The street was quiet
Quiet
A disposition free from stress or emotion
Quiet
Become quiet or quieter;
The audience fell silent when the speaker entered
Quiet
Make calm or still;
Quiet the dragons of worry and fear
Quiet
Characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity;
A quiet life
A quiet throng of onlookers
Quiet peace-loving people
The factions remained quiet for almost 10 years
Quiet
Free of noise or uproar; or making little if any sound;
A quiet audience at the concert
The room was dark and quiet
Quiet
Not showy or obtrusive;
Clothes in quiet good taste
Quiet
In a softened tone;
Hushed voices
Muted trumpets
A subdued whisper
A quiet reprimand
Quiet
Without untoward incident or disruption;
A placid existence
Quiet times
Quiet
Free from disturbance;
A ribbon of sand between the angry sea and the placid bay
The quiet waters of a lagoon
A lake of tranquil blue water reflecting a tranquil blue sky
A smooth channel crossing
Scarcely a ripple on the still water
Unruffled water
Quiet
Of the sun; characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sun spots e.g.
Quiet
With little or no activity or no agitation (`quiet' is a nonstandard variant for `quietly');
Her hands rested quietly in her lap
The rock star was quietly led out the back door
Sit here as quiet as you can
Quiet
Free from disturbances or tumult.
The village remained quiet during the storm.
Common Curiosities
Does "quiet" refer only to sound?
Primarily, but it can also describe a demeanor or the nature of an event.
Does a calm sea mean a silent sea?
Not necessarily. A sea can be calm (no waves) but not quiet (due to surrounding sounds).
Can you ask someone to be calm and quiet?
Yes. Asking someone to be calm means to be at peace, while quiet means not making noise.
Does "calm" always refer to silence?
No, calm primarily refers to a state of tranquility or peace.
Which word is more about an emotional state?
Calm is more about an emotional state, while quiet is more about sound.
Does quiet always mean silence?
No, quiet can mean low sound, not complete silence.
Can you use these words to describe a person's voice?
Yes. A voice can be calm (soothing) and quiet (soft-spoken).
Can "calm" and "quiet" be used interchangeably?
Sometimes, especially in poetic contexts, but they have distinct primary meanings.
Can a place be quiet but not calm?
Yes, for instance, a room without noise can be quiet, but people inside might be anxious, making it not calm.
Can someone be described as both calm and quiet?
Yes, someone can be unflustered (calm) and also not speak much (quiet).
Can music be calm and quiet?
Yes, music can be soothing (calm) and played at a low volume (quiet).
Can weather be described using these terms?
Yes. Weather can be calm (not stormy) and/or quiet (not noisy).
Can an event be described using both words?
Yes, an event can be both calm (orderly) and quiet (low noise).
Do the words have similar antonyms?
Somewhat. Antonyms for calm include agitated or turbulent; for quiet, they include noisy or loud.
Can a machine operate quietly but not calmly?
Yes, it might operate with low noise (quiet) but still be erratic or unpredictable (not calm).
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
