deathly quiet

USAGE SUMMARY

"deathly quiet" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe a situation in which there is a complete absence of noise, particularly in a place where one would normally expect there to be noise. Here is an example sentence: The library was deathly quiet, with only the occasional sound of a page flipping to break the silence.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Deathly quiet.

The Washington Post

All goes deathly quiet.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But now all is deathly quiet.

The Economist

It's deathly quiet out there now.

The Guardian - Sport

Now the Argo's decks were deathly quiet.

The Guardian - Books

The subject seems to have fallen deathly quiet of late.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

ROTTING bodies, bloated by the tropical sun, lay in the streets of Kingston this week, as soldiers patrolled the deathly-quiet streets of Jamaica's capital after an outbreak of violence on the island had left 25 people dead.

The Economist

Some 750,000 on strike and playing for unbelievably high stakes, a government pledged to complete unfinished Tory business – and still, a deathly cultural quiet.

The Guardian - Opinion

Olinger was deathly still.

The New Yorker

He is alive but deathly still.

The Guardian - Music

Everything is deathly still.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "deathly quiet" to create a sense of unease or anticipation in your writing. It's particularly effective when contrasting the silence with an expected or previous noise.

Common error

Avoid using "deathly quiet" excessively in dialogue descriptions. Instead, vary your descriptions of silence with more subtle terms like "a hush fell" or "the room stilled" to maintain a natural flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deathly quiet" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to describe a state of extreme or unnerving silence. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Academia

1%

Wiki

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "deathly quiet" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adjective phrase that effectively conveys a sense of profound and often unsettling silence. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is appropriate for use in various writing contexts, particularly in descriptive narratives where creating a specific atmosphere is important. The phrase appears most commonly in News & Media sources. For alternative expressions, consider "eerily silent" or "profound silence", but be mindful of overuse, especially in dialogue.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eerily silent

Replaces "deathly" with "eerily", suggesting a silence that is unsettling or strange.

profound silence

Emphasizes the depth and intensity of the silence.

sepulchral silence

Implies a silence associated with tombs or death, similar to "deathly quiet".

absolute stillness

Focuses on the complete lack of movement and sound.

complete hush

Highlights the absence of any sound or noise.

unnatural quiet

Suggests the silence is out of the ordinary or unexpected.

oppressive silence

Indicates the silence is heavy and uncomfortable.

deafening silence

A paradoxical phrase emphasizing the overwhelming nature of the silence.

graveyard quiet

Connects the silence with the stillness of a graveyard.

pin-drop silence

Suggests a silence so complete that even the sound of a pin dropping would be audible.

FAQs

How can I use "deathly quiet" in a sentence?

You can use "deathly quiet" to describe an unnaturally silent environment, such as "The forest was "deathly quiet" after the storm".

What can I say instead of "deathly quiet"?

You can use alternatives like "eerily silent", "profound silence", or "complete hush" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "deathly quiet" in formal writing?

Yes, "deathly quiet" is appropriate for formal writing as it is a well-established and understood idiom that adds emphasis to the description of silence.

What's the difference between "deathly quiet" and "deathly silence"?

While both phrases describe a profound lack of noise, "deathly quiet" focuses more on the absence of sound as a state, whereas "deathly silence" emphasizes the silence itself as a tangible or oppressive presence.