silence followed

USAGE SUMMARY

"silence followed" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where there was no noise or sound after a sudden event or action. For example, "After the loud explosion, silence followed as everyone held their breath, waiting for the outcome."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Silence followed.

The New York Times - Sports

Stunned silence followed.

Independent

A short silence followed.

The New Yorker

A tense silence followed.

The New Yorker

A silence followed.

The New Yorker

An awkward silence followed.

Harvard Business Review

A considerable silence followed.

The New Yorker

A long silence followed.

The Guardian - Books

An expectant silence followed.

The New York Times - Style

More silence followed.

The New Yorker

Another silence followed.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "silence followed" to create a dramatic pause or emphasize the impact of a previous event or statement.

Common error

Avoid restructuring the sentence to make "silence" the subject performing an action. "Silence followed" is typically passive, describing what happened after something else. Instead of "Silence followed him into the room", use "He entered the room, and silence followed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "silence followed" functions as a narrative device to indicate a pause or lull after an event. Ludwig's examples showcase this usage across diverse contexts, emphasizing the impact of the preceding action or statement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "silence followed" is a grammatically correct and frequently used construction in English, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves primarily as a narrative tool to emphasize the impact of an event by noting the quiet that succeeds it. Analysis of the examples reveals its prevalence in News & Media sources, alongside formal and business publications. While it's generally used in a neutral register, writers should avoid active voice constructions where "silence" is the subject performing an action. Instead, the passive structure should be preserved to indicate a sequence where the silence is a consequence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hush fell

Emphasizes a sudden, gentle silence.

quiet descended

Focuses on the arrival of quiet rather than what preceded it.

all sound stopped

A more direct way of saying that no sound was audible.

stillness ensued

Uses a more formal word for quiet and 'ensued' to indicate sequence.

absolute quiet prevailed

Indicates dominance of quietness.

the quiet took over

Quiet becomes the dominant state after the preceding event.

the sound ceased

Highlights the end of noise.

no sound could be heard

Highlights the inaudibility.

a vacuum of sound occurred

Focuses on the absence of any sound.

the noise abated

Focuses on the reduction of noise until complete silence.

FAQs

How can I use "silence followed" in a sentence?

Use "silence followed" to indicate a period of quiet after a specific action or statement. For instance, "The announcement was made, and "silence followed", broken only by gasps of surprise."

What's a more formal way to say "silence followed"?

A more formal option is "stillness ensued", which carries a similar meaning but sounds more sophisticated.

Is it ever incorrect to use "silence followed"?

It is generally correct, but ensure the context makes sense. The phrase implies a direct causal relationship where the silence is a direct consequence of the preceding event.

What's the difference between "silence followed" and "silence descended"?

"Silence followed" implies that silence came after a specific event, whereas "silence descended" suggests that silence gradually enveloped the scene.