English Reference
adverb

quietly

adv.
US /ˈkwaɪətɫi/ UK /kwˈaɪətli/ qui·et·ly

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    making very little or no sound.

    producing little or no acoustic disturbance; at a low volume.

    Simple

    The children played quietly in the corner while their father worked.

    In context

    The librarian asked the students to speak more quietly so as not to disturb the researchers in the adjacent room.

    loudlynoisily
  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    doing something in a way that other people do not notice.

    acting in a discreet or unobtrusive manner to avoid attracting public notice.

    Simple

    She quietly left the party before anyone could ask her to stay.

    In context

    The company quietly settled the legal dispute out of court to avoid negative press coverage before the product launch.

    discreetlyunobtrusivelysecretly

From Middle English quietely, quyetly, equivalent to quiet + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English quietely
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated