Quiet vs. Quietly — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 4, 2024
Quiet refers to the absence of noise or the state of being silent; quietly describes the manner of doing something with little or no noise.
Difference Between Quiet and Quietly
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Quiet is used as an adjective or a noun to describe a low sound environment or a condition of minimal disturbance, such as in "The library is quiet." Conversely, quietly functions as an adverb, indicating how an action is performed, usually with minimal noise, as in "She walked quietly."
In terms of usage, quiet can modify nouns directly or stand alone as a subject or object in a sentence, implying stillness or lack of noise. On the other hand, quietly modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, focusing on the manner in which actions are undertaken, enhancing descriptions of behavior or events.
The implications of quiet can vary; it may be desired, as in a quiet place for studying, or unsettling, as when a usually bustling place is unexpectedly silent. In contrast, quietly often carries a positive connotation, suggesting careful, discreet, or respectful actions, like speaking quietly during a performance.
While quiet can also denote a personality trait, suggesting someone is reserved or not very talkative, as in "He is a quiet person," quietly does not describe personality traits but rather the execution of actions, implying subtlety and intention, such as "She quietly exited the room."
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Adjective, Noun
Adverb
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Usage
Describes an environment or condition
Describes the manner of an action
Example in a Sentence
The room was quiet.
She spoke quietly.
Implication
Can suggest stillness or a lack of noise
Implies subtlety or careful execution
Relation to Sound
Often relates to the absence of sound
Refers to producing little sound
Compare with Definitions
Quiet
The state of being silent or calm.
The quiet of the morning was soothing.
Quietly
In a calm and restrained manner.
He quietly refused the offer.
Quiet
A period of silence or low activity.
There was a strange quiet after the announcement.
Quietly
Without attracting attention.
She quietly slipped out of the meeting.
Quiet
Lacking noise and uproar; peaceful.
The quiet countryside was a perfect retreat.
Quietly
With little or no noise.
He closed the door quietly behind him.
Quiet
Subdued or carried out discreetly.
He gave her a quiet nod.
Quietly
With a low intensity or in a subdued manner.
The crisis was quietly handled by the team.
Quiet
Not inclined to be noticeably active or noisy.
Her quiet demeanor was well-known in the office.
Quietly
Confidentially or secretly.
They quietly planned a surprise party.
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
Quietly
Making or characterized by little or no noise
A quiet library.
A quiet street.
A quiet, well tuned engine.
Quiet
Carried out discreetly, secretly, or with moderation
We wanted a quiet wedding
I'll have a quiet word with him
Quietly
Free of turmoil and agitation; calm
A quiet lake.
A quiet place in the country.
Quiet
Absence of noise or bustle; silence; calm
The ringing of the telephone shattered the early morning quiet
Quietly
Providing or allowing relaxation; restful; soothing
A quiet afternoon nap.
A quiet tune on the flute.
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
Quietly
Not showy or bright; subdued
A room decorated in quiet colors.
Quiet
Making or characterized by little or no noise
A quiet library.
A quiet street.
A quiet, well tuned engine.
Quietly
Restrained, as in style; understated
A quiet strength.
A quiet life.
Quiet
Free of turmoil and agitation; calm
A quiet lake.
A quiet place in the country.
Quietly
Out of public scrutiny; known or discussed by few
Wanted to keep the incident quiet until after the election.
Quiet
Providing or allowing relaxation; restful; soothing
A quiet afternoon nap.
A quiet tune on the flute.
Quietly
The quality or condition of being quiet
"A menacing quiet fills the empty streets" (Time).
Quiet
Not showy or bright; subdued
A room decorated in quiet colors.
Quietly
To cause to become quiet
The teacher quieted the students.
Quiet
Restrained, as in style; understated
A quiet strength.
A quiet life.
Quietly
To make (a title) secure by freeing from uncertainties or adverse claims as to the ownership.
Quiet
Out of public scrutiny; known or discussed by few
Wanted to keep the incident quiet until after the election.
Quietly
To become quiet
The child wouldn't quiet down for me.
Quiet
The quality or condition of being quiet
"A menacing quiet fills the empty streets" (Time).
Quietly
In a quiet manner.
Quiet
To cause to become quiet
The teacher quieted the students.
Quietly
In a quiet state or manner; without motion; in a state of rest; as, to lie or sit quietly.
Quiet
To make (a title) secure by freeing from uncertainties or adverse claims as to the ownership.
Quietly
Without tumult, alarm, dispute, or disturbance; peaceably; as, to live quietly; to sleep quietly.
Quiet
To become quiet
The child wouldn't quiet down for me.
Quietly
Calmly, without agitation or violent emotion; patiently; as, to submit quietly to unavoidable evils.
Quiet
With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.
I can't hear the music; it is too quiet.
Quietly
Noiselessly; silently; without remark or violent movement; in a manner to attract little or no observation; as, he quietly left the room.
Quiet
Having little motion or activity; calm.
The sea was quiet
A quiet night at home
All quiet on the Western front
Quietly
With low volume;
Speak softly but carry a big stick
She spoke quietly to the child
The radio was playing softly
Quiet
Not busy, of low quantity.
The traffic was quiet for a Monday morning.
Business was quiet for the season.
Quietly
With little or no sound;
The class was listening quietly and intently
She was crying quietly
Quiet
Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.
He's a very quiet man usually, but is very chatty after a few beers.
Quietly
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
Not showy; undemonstrative.
A quiet dress
Quiet colours
A quiet movement
Quietly
In a restful manner;
The streets are restfully sunny and still for the town is at mass
Quiet
(software) Requiring little or no interaction.
A quiet install
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.
Quiet
(intransitive) To become quiet or calm.
When you quiet, we can start talking.
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.
Quiet
The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
Quiet
The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.
Quiet
Be quiet.
Quiet! The children are sleeping.
Quiet
Free from noise or disturbance; hushed; still.
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.
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.
Quiet
Not showy; not such as to attract attention; undemonstrative; as, a quiet dress; quiet colors; a quiet movement.
Quiet
The quality or state of being quiet, or in repose; as an hour or a time of quiet.
Quiet
Freedom from disturbance, noise, or alarm; stillness; tranquillity; peace; security.
And join with thee, calm Peace and Quiet.
Quiet
To stop motion in; to still; to reduce to a state of rest, or of silence.
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
Common Curiosities
What does it mean when something is done "quietly"?
Doing something "quietly" means it is done with little noise or in a subtle, discreet manner.
What is the primary use of "quiet"?
"Quiet" is primarily used as an adjective or a noun to describe environments or conditions with low noise levels.
How is "quietly" used in a sentence?
"Quietly" is used as an adverb to describe the manner in which an action is performed, emphasizing gentleness or discretion.
Is "quiet" always positive?
"Quiet" is not always positive; it can be desirable in some contexts but may also indicate unease or lack of activity in others.
Can "quiet" describe a person?
Yes, "quiet" can describe a person as being reserved or not prone to speaking much.
Does "quietly" imply secrecy?
"Quietly" can imply secrecy or discretion, particularly in contexts where it is important to avoid drawing attention.
Are there any synonyms for "quiet"?
Yes, synonyms for "quiet" include silent, calm, peaceful, and still.
How do "quiet" and "quietly" relate to noise?
"Quiet" relates to a state or condition of little or no noise, while "quietly" describes conducting actions in a way that minimizes sound.
Can "quiet" be used in technical contexts?
Yes, "quiet" can be used in technical contexts, like describing the "quiet" operation of machinery.
Can "quiet" be used as a verb?
No, "quiet" cannot be used as a verb; the verb form would be "quieten" or "quiet down."
How do filmmakers use "quietly" in script directions?
Filmmakers use "quietly" in script directions to indicate that an action or line of dialogue should be performed with minimal noise or subtly.
How can "quietly" enhance a narrative?
"Quietly" can enhance a narrative by adding depth to character actions, showing restraint or secretiveness.
What effect does "quiet" have in literature?
In literature, "quiet" can set a tone or mood, often used to create a sense of peace or tension.
Is "quietly" used in music terminology?
In music terminology, "quietly" is not specifically used, but dynamics such as "piano" or "forte" describe the volume of music, which can be analogous to "quietly."
What are synonyms for "quietly"?
Synonyms for "quietly" include softly, silently, discreetly, and gently.
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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.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
