quietly

/ˈkwaɪətli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkwaɪətli/ (ame, ipa)

quietly — adverb

1. producing hardly any sound when you move, speak, or carry out an action

1.副詞B1
釋義

producing hardly any sound when you move, speak, or carry out an action

例句

Sari crept quietly down the stairs to avoid waking the baby.

crept quietly + infinitive purpose clause

A small fan hummed quietly on the desk beside the sleeping cat.

hummed quietly — describing a soft machine sound

同義詞
  • softly

    emphasises low volume of sound itself, not the action producing it

  • silently

    suggests complete absence of sound, not just low volume

  • in a low voice

    specifically about speaking, not general actions

反義詞
  • loudly

    produces a high volume of sound

  • noisily

    produces disruptive or unpleasant sound

文法句型

modifies a verb describing an action that can be done with or without sound

常見錯誤

❌She spoke quiet during the meeting.
✅She spoke quietly during the meeting.
💡'Quiet' is an adjective; the adverb form 'quietly' is needed after the verb.
❌The car moved quiet down the street.
✅The car moved quietly down the street.
💡Manner adverbs describing how something is done require the -ly form.

2. without letting other people notice what you are doing, often because you choose

2.副詞B1
釋義

without letting other people notice what you are doing, often because you choose not to talk about it

例句

Ilan quietly left the party before anyone noticed he was gone.

quietly left — discreet departure from a social event

The organisation has been quietly helping refugee families in the city.

quietly helping — charitable work done without publicity

同義詞
  • discreetly

    suggests careful behaviour to avoid causing embarrassment or attracting notice

  • secretly

    implies intentional concealment from others, often stronger than 'quietly'

  • privately

    emphasises that something is done away from public view, not necessarily hidden

反義詞
  • publicly

    done in full view or with the knowledge of many people

  • openly

    done without hiding anything from others

文法句型

modifies a verb describing an action that can be done without others noticing

用法筆記

Common with verbs that describe personal decisions, charitable actions, or departures. The focus is on the lack of public awareness rather than on sound level.

常見錯誤

❌She quietly decided to quit, but she told everyone about it.
✅She quietly decided to quit without telling anyone.
💡The adverb only makes sense if the action is actually kept private or low-key.

3. in a calm and untroubled way, without noise, disturbance, or busy activity

3.副詞B1
釋義

in a calm and untroubled way, without noise, disturbance, or busy activity

例句

After the storm passed, the sea lay quietly under the morning sun.

lay quietly — describing a natural scene after disturbance

The old dog slept quietly by the fireplace all afternoon.

slept quietly — peaceful rest without disturbance

同義詞
  • peacefully

    emphasises freedom from disturbance or conflict more strongly

  • calmly

    suggests emotional composure and lack of agitation

  • serenely

    suggests a deeper, more spiritual kind of peace — more formal

反義詞
  • restlessly

    in a way that shows agitation or inability to stay still

  • frantically

    in a hurried, anxious, or chaotic way

文法句型

modifies a stative verb or verb describing a resting state

用法筆記

Often describes the state of an environment, a person at rest, or nature. Unlike sense 1 ('LOW SOUND'), this sense focuses on an overall feeling of calm rather than the volume of a specific action.

常見錯誤

❌The children played quietly when they were fighting.
✅The children played quietly in the living room, building a tower of blocks.
💡The adverb describes calm activity, not conflict.