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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Donahue said before Kirk's rise to prominence being an outspoken conservative or Trump supporter was something to keep quiet, or risk being ostracized. Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025 Refusing to back down or keep quiet, the 79-year-old channeled the values and messages of the counterculture that paralleled his rise in the ‘60s. Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025 Usually, dating shows force contestants to keep quiet about their dating lives until the show ends. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 26 Aug. 2025 The book was the first in her Grant County series, which also delved into the secrets a small Southern town would rather keep quiet. Sabienna Bowman, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for keep quiet

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Cite this Entry

“Keep quiet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20quiet. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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