keep silent about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "keep silent about" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It means to remain quiet or not speak about something. Example: "The politician refused to answer any questions and instead chose to keep silent about his involvement in the scandal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"When you keep a secret, and when you keep silent about something, you do it because you think it's keeping you safe, but in fact, it's deadly," she said.

Huffington Post

He was convicted only of disobeying an order to keep silent about Abu Ghraib.

The New York Times

It stems from Mr. Bush's original decision to keep silent about Bob Jones University's prejudice against Catholics.

The New York Times

Instead, she hoped that those who had noticed her presence at the soldiers' bonfires would have their own reasons to keep silent about it.

The New Yorker

The Vatican is governed by tradition and habit, and is thus quite able to keep silent about even important new policies.

The New York Times

Those wounded in eastern Ukraine and the families of those killed have been told to keep silent about their service there, according to soldiers' rights advocates.

The Guardian

The case has been further complicated by reports that Becker secretly met former group members in 2007 and signed a joint pledge to keep silent about details of the group's crimes.

Independent

Cohen said "there is no doubt" in his mind that Trump was acutely aware that Daniels, the adult-film actress, was being paid to keep silent about an alleged affair she had with the president, payments orchestrated through Cohen.

The Washington Post

"And now we mostly keep silent about the blockade, and that Hamas wasn't able to lift it during the war," he added, referring to Israel's partial siege of Gaza.

The Washington Post

He told a court Trump had directed him to pay two women in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign to keep silent about affairs they claim to have had with Trump.

The Washington Post

"Why, in these conditions, the world community, which cares so much about human rights, continues to persistently keep silent about the humanitarian disaster in the Rukban camp?" he said.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "keep silent about" to indicate a deliberate decision to not disclose information, often to protect someone or something, or to avoid conflict. Consider the implications of remaining silent and whether it aligns with your intended message.

Common error

Avoid structuring sentences where the subject is acted upon. Instead of "The issue was kept silent about", opt for the active voice: "They chose to keep silent about the issue".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep silent about" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action of deliberately withholding information. Ludwig examples show this phrase used across various contexts, often involving decisions to not disclose sensitive or controversial topics.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "keep silent about" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe the act of deliberately withholding information. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across various contexts. As evidenced by Ludwig examples, the phrase frequently appears in news reports, academic papers, and other formal settings. While there are several alternative phrases, such as "refrain from discussing" or "avoid mentioning", each carries subtle differences in meaning and implication. When using "keep silent about", consider the reasons for the silence and whether it aligns with the overall message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stay silent on

Highlights a deliberate choice to avoid commenting on an issue.

say nothing about

A simple and direct way of stating that no communication occurred.

decline to comment on

Indicates a formal refusal to provide information or an opinion.

refrain from discussing

Emphasizes the act of consciously holding back from engaging in conversation.

avoid mentioning

Highlights the act of deliberately steering clear of a topic.

not breathe a word

Implies secrecy and the suppression of any form of communication.

hold one's tongue

Focuses on the physical act of preventing oneself from speaking.

keep mum about

An informal way of saying to keep a secret or stay quiet.

bury the hatchet

Implies resolving a conflict by agreeing to stop bringing up past issues, often involving forgiveness and moving forward.

stonewall

Suggests a deliberate obstruction by refusing to answer questions or provide information, often in a political context.

FAQs

How can I use "keep silent about" in a sentence?

You can use "keep silent about" to describe someone's choice not to reveal information, as in, "The witness decided to "keep silent about" the incident to protect their family".

What does "keep silent about" mean?

"Keep silent about" means to deliberately avoid speaking or revealing information about a particular topic or situation.

What are some alternatives to "keep silent about"?

Alternatives to "keep silent about" include "refrain from discussing", "avoid mentioning", or "say nothing about", depending on the context.

Is it better to "keep silent about" something, or to speak up?

The choice depends on the situation. While "keeping silent about" something might protect individuals or maintain peace, speaking up could be necessary to address injustices or reveal important truths.