silently
- 01 B1 Intermediate
in a way that makes no sound.
in a manner that produces no audible sound.
Simple“The cat crept silently across the wooden floor toward the bird.”
In context“The submarine glided silently through the deep water, its advanced propulsion system designed to evade detection by enemy sonar.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
without saying anything out loud.
without verbal expression; used when someone is thinking or reacting internally.
Simple“She sat silently in the back of the car, thinking about her day.”
In context“He stood silently at the back of the hall, observing the heated debate without offering his own opinion on the matter.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
when a change is made to a file or document without telling anyone.
referring to a process or update that occurs without explicit acknowledgment or user notification.
Simple“The app updated silently in the background while I was sleeping.”
In context“The script was designed to fail silently, ensuring that minor errors would not interrupt the user's workflow with unnecessary dialogue boxes.”
UsageOften describes software updates or text corrections.
SynonymsautomaticallyunobtrusivelyAntonyms
From silent + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.