Sometimes, it’s not easy to say someone is quiet without repeating the word “quiet” again and again. In English, people often use idioms to make their speech or writing more fun. An idiom is a group of words that means something different than what the words say. Idioms can help you describe things in a colorful way.
In this article, we will learn idioms that describe people or situations that are quiet. You might hear these in school, at home, or on TV. They can describe a person who doesn’t talk much, a place that is very still, or a time when nobody makes a sound. These idioms are easy to learn and fun to use. They will help you talk about silence in a more interesting way. Let’s look at 30 idioms for quiet.
Idioms for Quiet
1. Quiet as a mouse
Meaning: Very quiet, almost silent
Samples: She was as quiet as a mouse during the movie. / He entered the room quiet as a mouse.
To Put it Another Way: She didn’t make a sound. / He moved silently.
2. Dead silence
Meaning: Complete quiet with no sound at all
Samples: There was dead silence after the teacher asked the question. / The house fell into dead silence at night.
To Put it Another Way: No one said anything. / It was fully quiet.
3. Pin drop silence
Meaning: So quiet that even a pin falling would be heard
Samples: You could hear pin drop silence in the library. / After the big announcement, there was pin drop silence.
To Put it Another Way: It was silent everywhere. / Not even a whisper was heard.
4. Mum’s the word
Meaning: Don’t talk about something; keep it secret
Samples: “Mum’s the word,” he said about the surprise party. / I promised to stay quiet mum’s the word.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t tell anyone. / Keep it to yourself.
5. Hold your tongue
Meaning: To stay quiet or not say something
Samples: I wanted to speak, but I held my tongue. / He held his tongue during the argument.
To Put it Another Way: I stayed quiet. / He kept his thoughts to himself.
6. Keep it down
Meaning: Be quiet or speak more softly
Samples: Can you please keep it down? / We had to keep it down at the library.
To Put it Another Way: Talk softer. / Don’t make noise.
7. Not a peep
Meaning: No sound or noise at all
Samples: We didn’t hear a peep from the baby all night. / Not a peep came from the students during the test.
To Put it Another Way: No sound was made. / Everyone stayed silent.
8. Zip your lip
Meaning: Stop talking or stay quiet
Samples: He told me to zip my lip during the movie. / Zip your lip or you’ll ruin the surprise.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t talk. / Stay silent.
9. Keep a low profile
Meaning: Avoid attention or being noticed
Samples: She kept a low profile during the meeting. / He kept a low profile after the big mistake.
To Put it Another Way: She stayed out of sight. / He didn’t want to be noticed.
10. Under the radar
Meaning: Staying unnoticed or quiet
Samples: She stayed under the radar the whole trip. / He did his job under the radar.
To Put it Another Way: She stayed quiet and hidden. / He avoided being seen.
11. Hush-hush
Meaning: Secret or quiet, not for public
Samples: The project was kept hush-hush. / It was a hush-hush meeting between the teachers.
To Put it Another Way: It was kept secret. / No one talked about it.
12. Cat got your tongue
Meaning: Used when someone is very quiet and doesn’t speak
Samples: What’s wrong cat got your tongue? / She didn’t answer maybe the cat got her tongue.
To Put it Another Way: You’re too quiet. / Why aren’t you talking?
13. Keep something under wraps
Meaning: Keep something secret or quiet
Samples: They kept the plan under wraps. / We’re keeping it under wraps until the big day.
To Put it Another Way: It’s a secret. / Don’t tell anyone.
14. Button your lip
Meaning: Stay quiet, don’t say anything
Samples: Button your lip and let the adults talk. / He had to button his lip during the game.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t speak. / Be quiet.
15. Don’t breathe a word
Meaning: Don’t say anything at all
Samples: Don’t breathe a word about the surprise. / He didn’t breathe a word about the accident.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t tell anyone. / Keep silent.
16. Keep to yourself
Meaning: Stay quiet and don’t share much
Samples: He kept to himself at lunch. / She keeps to herself most of the time.
To Put it Another Way: He didn’t talk much. / She stayed quiet.
17. Soft-spoken
Meaning: Speaking in a very quiet and gentle voice
Samples: The new teacher is soft-spoken. / He’s a kind and soft-spoken person.
To Put it Another Way: Talks quietly. / Speaks in a gentle voice.
18. Don’t say a word
Meaning: Stay totally quiet
Samples: Don’t say a word until we’re done. / She didn’t say a word the whole ride home.
To Put it Another Way: Be silent. / Not even one word.
19. Quiet as the grave
Meaning: Extremely silent
Samples: The house was quiet as the grave. / When the lights went out, it was quiet as the grave.
To Put it Another Way: Very still. / Completely silent.
20. Silent treatment
Meaning: Refusing to talk to someone
Samples: She gave him the silent treatment after the fight. / He didn’t say anything the silent treatment was on.
To Put it Another Way: Ignoring someone by not speaking. / Staying silent on purpose.
21. Don’t make a sound
Meaning: Be completely quiet
Samples: Don’t make a sound, or they’ll hear us. / We didn’t make a sound while hiding.
To Put it Another Way: Stay quiet. / Not even a whisper.
22. In total silence
Meaning: No noise at all
Samples: They finished the test in total silence. / The park was in total silence after sunset.
To Put it Another Way: Everything was quiet. / No one spoke.
23. As still as a statue
Meaning: Not moving or making a sound
Samples: He stood as still as a statue when the teacher looked at him. / The kids were as still as statues during the fire drill.
To Put it Another Way: Didn’t move or talk. / Stayed frozen and quiet.
24. Sealed lips
Meaning: Refusing to speak or reveal information
Samples: She kept her lips sealed about the surprise. / His lips were sealed during the game.
To Put it Another Way: Didn’t say anything. / Stayed quiet on purpose.
25. Whisper quiet
Meaning: Very soft, almost like a whisper
Samples: The car was whisper quiet. / Her voice was whisper quiet during the story.
To Put it Another Way: Almost no sound. / Very softly spoken.
26. Hushed tones
Meaning: Speaking very quietly
Samples: They talked in hushed tones in the hallway. / Everyone used hushed tones in the library.
To Put it Another Way: Spoke softly. / Talked very quietly.
27. Speechless
Meaning: Unable to speak, often from surprise
Samples: He was speechless after the gift. / I was speechless when I saw the cake.
To Put it Another Way: Couldn’t say a word. / Too surprised to speak.
28. Without a word
Meaning: Leaving or acting silently
Samples: She left without a word. / He walked away without a word.
To Put it Another Way: Didn’t speak. / Left silently.
29. Breathe softly
Meaning: Trying to be very quiet
Samples: We breathed softly while hiding. / She breathed softly, trying not to wake the baby.
To Put it Another Way: Made no noise. / Breathed very gently.
30. Like a shadow
Meaning: Moving quietly and unseen
Samples: He moved like a shadow in the dark. / The cat came in like a shadow.
To Put it Another Way: Moved silently. / Quiet and unnoticed.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Quiet
Reading Passage: “Library Secrets”
It was a rainy Tuesday, and Mrs. Green’s fifth-grade class was headed to the library. The moment they walked in, the room fell into pin drop silence. The only sounds were the soft footsteps on the carpet. Joey, usually talkative, was quiet as a mouse while reading his mystery book.
Mia and Lily sat together, whispering in hushed tones about a project. When Mr. Harris, the librarian, passed by, they gave each other a look and went mum’s the word about their surprise card for his birthday.
Later, Jacob almost dropped a book, but caught it just in time. He glanced at everyone and then stayed as still as a statue. Nobody said anything. The whole room stayed in dead silence.
Outside, the rain tapped against the window. Inside, the children worked quietly, some keeping to themselves, and others sharing soft ideas. Before they left, Mr. Harris smiled and said, “Thank you for being so respectful. I didn’t even hear a peep!”
As they walked out, Joey joked, “It was like we were all under the radar today!” Everyone laughed but still softly.
Your Task:
Underline or list all 8 idioms for quiet you found in the story.
Answer Key
- Pin drop silence
- Quiet as a mouse
- Hushed tones
- Mum’s the word
- As still as a statue
- Dead silence
- Keeping to themselves
- Not a peep
Conclusion
Idioms are fun ways to show meaning without saying something directly. When talking about quiet moments, idioms help us say more with fewer words. Saying “quiet as a mouse” or “not a peep” is more interesting than just saying “quiet.”
These idioms are useful at school, at home, or anywhere you need to talk about silence. They help you describe people who stay silent, moments that feel still, or secrets that must be kept. Learning these phrases makes your writing and speaking more colorful and clear. Try using them next time you want to describe something quiet.
