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“Silence” or “Silents”

silence / silents are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

silence s·AY·l·ah·n·s

  • nounthe state of being silent (as when no one is speaking).
  • nounthe absence of sound.
  • verbkeep from expression, for example by threats or pressure.

silents

No dictionary entry for this spelling — see the usage examples below for how it shows up in writing.

Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“silence”

  • …toward the Modoc" marred the silence.
  • …- episode - Barrier of Silence - Nielsen (1955)
  • …waits as deadline passes in silence', The Globe and Mail, December…
  • …an X, the symbol of silence in Lémabantunk, which causes her…
  • Andy Winter (Age of Silence) - Piano, keyboards
  • …subsequent letters maintained a tactful silence on the matter or else…
  • …instrumental starts at 9:22 after silence.
  • …a state of stunned, emotionless silence.
  • At court, silence was at a premium, and…
  • "Silence in Despair" - 4:55

“silents”

  • Fannie Ward at Silents Are Golden
  • …cusp of the transition from silents to talkies in British cinema,…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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