quietly
/ˈkwaɪ.ət.li/ IELTSAcademic
adverb
In a quiet way, with little noise. It can also mean in a calm, gentle, or secret way.
- Please speak quietly in the library.
- She quietly left the room.
- They quietly agreed to the plan.
Adinary Nuance
Quietly is about low noise or low attention. It is more about manner than about mood. Compared with silently, quietly can still allow small sounds, while silently means no sound at all. Compared with softly, quietly often sounds calmer or less noticeable, not just gentle.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- im lặng
- Spanish
- en silencio
- Chinese
- 安静地
- Japanese
- 静かに
- Korean
- 조용히
Etymology
Quietly comes from the adjective quiet, from Old French quiete, based on Latin quies, meaning 'rest' or 'calm'. The adverb form developed in English by adding -ly.
Common phrases
speak quietlywork quietlysit quietlyquietly confident
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is quietly the same as silently?
- Not exactly. Quietly allows some sound, but silently means no sound at all.
- Can I use quietly in formal writing?
- Yes. It is common in formal and everyday English.
- What is the difference between quietly and softly?
- Quietly focuses on little noise. Softly often means in a gentle or light way.
- Is quietly an adjective or adverb?
- It is an adverb. It describes how something happens.