keep quiet

idiom

1
: to not say anything or make any noise
He thought about telling the police what he knew, but he decided to keep quiet.
Please keep quiet during the movie.
2
: to not say anything about (something)
She kept her plans quiet.
3
: to prevent (someone or something) from making noise
She gave the dog a bone to keep him quiet.
4
: to prevent (someone) from revealing information about something
They paid money to the witness to keep him quiet.

Examples of keep quiet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Goats and Soda Afghan women sing to protest a law that orders them to keep quiet But most refugee parents might not know or understand similar reactions in their children, says Betancourt. Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 15 Sep. 2024 The police refuse to investigate and her own family would like her to keep quiet. Marta Balaga, Variety, 1 Sep. 2024 Lim, who oversees the university’s Title IX operations, refuted the lawsuit claims that the players were told to keep quiet or were threatened with discipline. Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 6 Oct. 2024 At the same time, environmental illness is a broad spectrum, and many keep quiet about their conditions. Evan Malmgren, Harper's Magazine, 21 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for keep quiet 

Dictionary Entries Near keep quiet

Cite this Entry

“Keep quiet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20quiet. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

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