as a tomb

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a tomb" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is silent, dark, or lifeless, often in a metaphorical sense. Example: "The abandoned house stood silent as a tomb, evoking a sense of eerie stillness."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

He was cold as a tomb.

The Guardian - Sport

We drove through Danville, quiet as a tomb.

The Guardian

The cinder-block room went dead as a tomb.

The New York Times

The day after the election, Kroeber Hall was as silent and as desolate as a tomb.

University of California, Berkeley

Inside: as dank as a tomb, as dirty as a dump.

The New Yorker

Ambika P3's vast underground gallery is doubling up as a tomb for a dying medium.

The Guardian - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

O.K., so the quiet-as-a-tomb Don Chaney once tried to physically dismantle one of his players, an indolent behemoth named Benoit Benjamin, but that was understandable -- a lot of Benjamin's coaches and teammates wanted to.

The New York Times - Sports

Summoned by neighbors, the Westfield, N.J., police broke into Breeze Knolls, the Lists' 19-room ramshackle Victorian, to find it cold as, well, a tomb, with organ music playing in every room over the intercom system.

The New York Times - Magazine

The image of the man emerging from his sealed boat — as from a tomb, as Christians would later point out — was, in the earliest texts, the image of a human sovereign unscathed, as strong as ever, ready to impose his governing will as before, stronger than before.

The New Yorker

In doing so, they are far from the Pythagorean doctrine that considered the soul as a fallen divinity imprisoned within the body as in a "tomb".

SEP

It had a solid steel door that enclosed Woodfox entirely as if in a tomb.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a tomb" to create a strong sense of foreboding or solemnity. It's most effective when describing places associated with death, remembrance, or profound silence.

Common error

Avoid using "as a tomb" to describe everyday quietness. It can sound melodramatic if applied to situations that lack a connection to death, stillness, or solemnity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a tomb" primarily functions as a simile, used to create a vivid comparison by associating something with the stillness, silence, and often the coldness of a tomb. Ludwig examples show it modifies nouns, emphasizing qualities like silence or desolation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as a tomb" is a powerful simile used to describe something that is exceptionally quiet, still, and often carries a sense of death or solemnity. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is widely used across various contexts, particularly in news media, academic writing, and encyclopedic descriptions, according to Ludwig. While versatile, it's essential to use the phrase judiciously, avoiding overuse in contexts that don't warrant its gravitas. Alternatives such as "like a grave" or "deathly quiet" can provide similar imagery with slightly different emotional weights.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

like a grave

Uses a different noun to convey a similar sense of silence and death.

silent as death

Replaces the noun with a more direct reference to death, emphasizing the silence.

as quiet as the grave

Emphasizes quietness with a common idiom.

deathly quiet

Uses an adjective to describe the quietness, intensifying the feeling.

eerily silent

Adds a sense of unease or spookiness to the silence.

sepulchral silence

Employs a more formal and evocative adjective.

unnatural quiet

Suggests the silence is abnormal or disturbing.

still and lifeless

Focuses on the absence of movement and vitality.

muffled silence

Implies the sounds are suppressed or dampened.

completely soundless

Directly states the lack of sound.

FAQs

How can I use "as a tomb" in a sentence?

Use "as a tomb" to describe a space or situation that is exceptionally quiet and still, often suggesting a sense of death or solemnity. For example, "The old library was as silent as a tomb."

What's the difference between "as quiet as a tomb" and "as quiet as a mouse"?

"As quiet as a tomb" implies a profound and often unsettling silence, associated with death and stillness. "As quiet as a mouse" simply means very quiet and unobtrusive, without the same heavy connotations.

Which is correct, "as silent as a tomb" or "as quiet as a tomb"?

Both "as silent as a tomb" and "as quiet as a tomb" are correct. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the lack of sound (quiet) or the absence of any activity or speech (silent).

What are some alternatives to saying something is "as cold as a tomb"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "icy cold", "freezing cold", or "frigid" to describe something very cold.