Sometimes people don’t talk. They stay quiet. This can happen at home, school, or outside. People might stay quiet when they are thinking or feeling shy. Some are quiet when they are sad or just resting.
We use special phrases called idioms to talk about being quiet. These are fun ways to say something without using plain words. For example, instead of saying “be quiet,” someone might say, “zip your lip.” These idioms help us talk in a more fun and smart way. Let’s learn some easy ones together.
Idioms for Silence
1. Zip your lip
Meaning: Be quiet.
To Provide an Example: Dad told me to zip my lip during the movie. / I zipped my lip when the teacher walked in.
Alternative Meaning: Don’t talk. / Stay silent.
2. Hold your tongue
Meaning: Don’t say anything.
To Provide an Example: I held my tongue when I was upset. / She held her tongue during the game.
Alternative Meaning: Keep quiet. / Say nothing.
3. Button your lip
Meaning: Stop talking.
To Provide an Example: Mom said, “Button your lip, please.” / He buttoned his lip in class.
Alternative Meaning: No more words. / Be silent.
4. Cat got your tongue?
Meaning: Why aren’t you talking?
To Provide an Example: “Cat got your tongue?” Dad asked when I was quiet. / She was so quiet, I asked if the cat got her tongue.
Alternative Meaning: Too quiet. / Can’t talk?
5. Keep it under wraps
Meaning: Keep it a secret.
To Provide an Example: I kept the surprise party under wraps. / We kept the gift under wraps.
Alternative Meaning: Don’t tell. / Stay hush-hush.
6. Mum’s the word
Meaning: Don’t tell anyone.
To Provide an Example: “Mum’s the word,” we said about the secret. / I kept quiet mum’s the word.
Alternative Meaning: Keep quiet. / Stay silent.
7. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something.
To Provide an Example: I bit my tongue and didn’t say the mean word. / She bit her tongue during the argument.
Alternative Meaning: Hold it in. / Stay calm.
8. Not a peep
Meaning: No sound at all.
To Provide an Example: I didn’t hear a peep from my brother. / Not a peep came from the room.
Alternative Meaning: Total silence. / No noise.
9. Quiet as a mouse
Meaning: Very quiet.
To Provide an Example: He was quiet as a mouse in the library. / We were quiet as mice during the show.
Alternative Meaning: Super quiet. / No sound at all.
10. My lips are sealed
Meaning: I won’t tell anyone.
To Provide an Example: “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed,” I said. / She said her lips were sealed about the surprise.
Alternative Meaning: I’ll keep the secret. / I won’t talk.
11. Dead silence
Meaning: No sound anywhere.
To Provide an Example: The room went into dead silence. / After the bell, it was dead silent.
Alternative Meaning: Totally quiet. / No talking.
12. Fall silent
Meaning: Stop talking suddenly.
To Provide an Example: We fell silent when the teacher came. / The class fell silent quickly.
Alternative Meaning: Became quiet. / Stopped talking.
13. Stone silent
Meaning: Very, very quiet.
To Provide an Example: He was stone silent during dinner. / The hallway was stone silent.
Alternative Meaning: Not a word. / No sound.
14. In complete silence
Meaning: Without a sound.
To Provide an Example: We walked in complete silence. / She did her work in complete silence.
Alternative Meaning: Totally quiet. / Not even a whisper.
15. Say no more
Meaning: I understand. Don’t explain.
To Provide an Example: “Say no more,” Dad said with a smile. / I said, “Say no more,” and helped her.
Alternative Meaning: Stop talking. / I got it.
16. Pin-drop silence
Meaning: So quiet you can hear a pin drop.
To Provide an Example: The class was in pin-drop silence. / After the story, there was pin-drop silence.
Alternative Meaning: Super quiet. / Not even a whisper.
17. Go hush-hush
Meaning: Keep something quiet or secret.
To Provide an Example: We went hush-hush about the gift. / It was a hush-hush plan.
Alternative Meaning: Don’t tell. / Keep it secret.
18. Say nothing
Meaning: Don’t speak.
To Provide an Example: I said nothing when I was mad. / She said nothing about the plan.
Alternative Meaning: Be silent. / Keep it to yourself.
19. Seal your lips
Meaning: Don’t talk.
To Provide an Example: He sealed his lips during the game. / I sealed my lips and listened.
Alternative Meaning: Be quiet. / No words.
20. Speak no more
Meaning: Stop talking.
To Provide an Example: “Speak no more,” said the teacher. / Mom told me to speak no more.
Alternative Meaning: No more words. / Silence now.
21. Hush now
Meaning: Be quiet gently.
To Provide an Example: Mom said, “Hush now, baby’s sleeping.” / I said, “Hush now,” in the movie.
Alternative Meaning: Calm quiet. / Lower your voice.
22. On mute
Meaning: No sound at all.
To Provide an Example: The TV was on mute. / I stayed on mute during the call.
Alternative Meaning: No talking. / Silent.
23. In silence
Meaning: Doing something quietly.
To Provide an Example: We ate in silence. / He read in silence.
Alternative Meaning: No sound. / Quietly.
24. Not a word
Meaning: Say nothing at all.
To Provide an Example: Not a word was spoken. / He said not a word all day.
Alternative Meaning: Total quiet. / Silent.
25. Tightly-lipped
Meaning: Not willing to speak.
To Provide an Example: She was tightly-lipped about the surprise. / He stayed tightly-lipped all week.
Alternative Meaning: Keeping a secret. / Not talking.
26. Draw a veil over it
Meaning: Don’t talk about it.
To Provide an Example: We drew a veil over the fight. / She drew a veil over the sad story.
Alternative Meaning: Don’t bring it up. / Stay quiet.
27. Go quiet
Meaning: Stop talking suddenly.
To Provide an Example: He went quiet after the question. / I went quiet during dinner.
Alternative Meaning: Turn silent. / No more talking.
28. Lost for words
Meaning: Not knowing what to say.
To Provide an Example: I was lost for words when I saw my gift. / She was lost for words after the news.
Alternative Meaning: Can’t speak. / No words.
29. Keep quiet
Meaning: Stay silent.
To Provide an Example: We kept quiet during the movie. / I kept quiet when asked.
Alternative Meaning: No noise. / Stay hush.
30. Keep it down
Meaning: Lower your voice.
To Provide an Example: Dad said, “Keep it down, baby’s asleep.” / We kept it down during the show.
Alternative Meaning: Speak softly. / Don’t be loud.
31. Sworn to secrecy
Meaning: Promised not to tell.
To Provide an Example: I was sworn to secrecy about the plan. / She was sworn to secrecy for the surprise.
Alternative Meaning: Can’t share. / Promise to be quiet.
32. Locked lips
Meaning: Not saying anything.
To Provide an Example: He had locked lips during the meeting. / We stayed locked-lips.
Alternative Meaning: No speaking. / Sealed mouth.
33. Give someone the silent treatment
Meaning: Refuse to talk to someone.
To Provide an Example: I gave my brother the silent treatment. / She gave her friend the silent treatment.
Alternative Meaning: No talking to someone. / Ignoring.
34. Keep it down low
Meaning: Don’t tell anyone.
To Provide an Example: Let’s keep it down low for now. / He said to keep it down low about the idea.
Alternative Meaning: Stay quiet. / Keep private.
35. Under your hat
Meaning: Keep it secret.
To Provide an Example: Keep that under your hat, okay? / It’s under my hat till the big day.
Alternative Meaning: Don’t tell. / Secret.
36. Shut your trap
Meaning: Be quiet (rude way).
To Provide an Example: He told me to shut my trap. / “Shut your trap,” he snapped.
Alternative Meaning: Stop talking. / Zip it.
37. Say less
Meaning: Don’t say more.
To Provide an Example: She said, “Say less, I understand.” / He nodded and said, “Say less.”
Alternative Meaning: I get it. / No need to explain.
38. Speechless
Meaning: Can’t talk because of surprise or shock.
To Provide an Example: I was speechless when I saw the puppy. / She was speechless after the gift.
Alternative Meaning: No words. / Too shocked to talk.
39. Silent as the grave
Meaning: Very quiet.
To Provide an Example: The old house was silent as the grave. / We were silent as the grave when hiding.
Alternative Meaning: Super quiet. / Still.
40. Tongue-tied
Meaning: Can’t speak from nervousness.
To Provide an Example: I was tongue-tied on stage. / He was tongue-tied meeting the principal.
Alternative Meaning: Shy to talk. / No words.
41. Say nothing more
Meaning: End the talk.
To Provide an Example: Say nothing more, let’s move on. / She said, “Say nothing more,” and left.
Alternative Meaning: That’s enough. / No more talk.
42. Clam up
Meaning: Stop talking suddenly.
To Provide an Example: He clammed up when asked. / She clammed up after the question.
Alternative Meaning: No reply. / Stop talking.
43. A vow of silence
Meaning: Promise not to speak.
To Provide an Example: We took a vow of silence in the game. / He made a vow of silence till lunch.
Alternative Meaning: No words at all. / Promise to stay quiet.
44. Soft-spoken
Meaning: Talks in a quiet voice.
To Provide an Example: My teacher is soft-spoken. / He is kind and soft-spoken.
Alternative Meaning: Gentle voice. / Low tone.
45. Speak in whispers
Meaning: Talk very softly.
To Provide an Example: We spoke in whispers in the library. / She spoke in whispers at bedtime.
Alternative Meaning: Quiet talking. / Whisper.
46. Hush your voice
Meaning: Speak lower or softer.
To Provide an Example: Hush your voice, Grandma is resting. / He told me to hush my voice.
Alternative Meaning: Lower your voice. / Quiet.
47. Sit in silence
Meaning: Sit without talking.
To Provide an Example: We sat in silence after the story. / She sat in silence for a while.
Alternative Meaning: Quiet time. / No talking.
48. Go wordless
Meaning: Don’t say anything.
To Provide an Example: He went wordless during the talk. / I went wordless when asked.
Alternative Meaning: Be silent. / No reply.
49. Soundless as snow
Meaning: No sound at all.
To Provide an Example: The park was soundless as snow. / She walked in soundless as snow.
Alternative Meaning: Very quiet. / Stillness.
50. As silent as night
Meaning: Very, very quiet.
To Provide an Example: The house was as silent as night. / It was as silent as night at bedtime.
Alternative Meaning: Deep quiet. / Peaceful silence.
Trials for Success: Idioms for Silence
- At the movie theater, Mom told me to ________ so others could enjoy the film.
- I was so surprised by my gift, I stood there ________.
- When we planned the surprise party, we kept everything ________.
- After Dad asked the question, my brother just ________.
- The class sat ________ while the principal spoke.
- During bedtime, we had to be ________ as a mouse.
- “________,” my sister said, when I almost spoiled the surprise.
- I promised not to tell and said, “________.”
- At lunch, I was too shy to talk. I felt ________.
- The classroom was so quiet, you could hear a ________ drop.
- We all ________ when the teacher walked in.
- “________,” said the librarian when we got too loud.
- When I’m mad, I try to ________ so I don’t say something mean.
- I stayed ________ during the game to not give away the answer.
- When I didn’t know what to say, I just stood there ________.
Answers
- zip my lip
- speechless
- under wraps
- clammed up
- in complete silence
- quiet
- hush now
- my lips are sealed
- tongue-tied
- pin
- fell silent
- Keep it down
- bite my tongue
- on mute
- lost for words
Conclusion
Staying quiet is sometimes very important. It can show respect, help us think, or keep a surprise. People use idioms to talk about silence in fun ways. These phrases help us understand and share ideas without using many words.
Now that you’ve learned idioms for silence, try using them in your reading or writing. It will make your ideas clearer and more interesting. Remember, sometimes saying nothing says a lot.
