quiet quit
To cease overachieving at one's workplace to focus on one's personal life; to do only what is reasonably or contractually required.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I decided to quiet quit and stop working late every night.”
“After years of burnout, she chose to quiet quit by doing only her assigned tasks.”
“Rather than resigning outright, the disillusioned employee began to quiet quit, performing his duties with minimal effort to reclaim his personal time.”
Attested in the early 21st century as a back-formation from the gerund phrase quiet quitting.
- 01
have a quiet word
To speak to someone in private.
- 02
keep quiet
To refrain from talking about something; to keep a secret.
- 03
quiet as a church mouse
Alternative form of quiet as a mouse.
- 04
quiet as a mouse
Very quiet, so as to not be heard.
- 05
quit scores
To settle or balance accounts or differences; to make compensation.
- 06
quit while one is ahead
To stop taking risks before one starts losing.
- 07
say the quiet part loud
To willingly express a sentiment that is normally considered embarrassing or disreputable to hold; to reveal an ulterior motive.
Last updated August 10, 2026