Silence vs. Sound — What's the Difference?

The absence of sound.

A particular auditory tone or noise.

A period without speaking or noise.

A vocal utterance or tone.

A deliberate lack of communication.

An indication or signal through auditory means.

Silence is the absence of ambient audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be extended to apply to the cessation or absence of any form of communication, whether through speech or other medium.Sometimes speakers fall silent when they hesitate in searching for a word, or interrupt themselves before correcting themselves. Discourse analysis shows that people use brief silences to mark the boundaries of prosodic units, in turn-taking, or as reactive tokens, e.g., as a sign of displeasure, disagreement, embarrassment, desire to think, confusion, and the like.

In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the reception of such waves and their perception by the brain.

The condition or quality of being or keeping still and silent.

Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.

The absence of sound; stillness.

Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.

A period of time without speech or noise.

The sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by such vibrations in the air or other medium.

Refusal or failure to speak out.

Such sensations considered as a group.

To make silent or bring to silence

A distinctive noise

To curtail the expression of; suppress

The distance over which something can be heard

(Genetics) To interfere with the expression of (a gene or gene segment) so that its biological function is suppressed.

An articulation made by the vocal apparatus

The absence of any sound.

The distinctive character of such an articulation

The act of refraining from speaking.

A mental impression; an implication

Form of meditative worship practiced by the Society of Friends (Quakers); meeting for worship.

Auditory material that is recorded, as for a movie.

(transitive) To make (someone or something) silent.

Meaningless noise.

(transitive) To repress the expression of something.

(Music) A distinctive style, as of an orchestra or singer.

(transitive) To suppress criticism, etc.

(Archaic) Rumor; report.

(molecular biology) To block gene expression.

A long, relatively wide body of water, larger than a strait or a channel, connecting larger bodies of water.

(euphemistic) To murder.

A long, wide ocean inlet.

(imperative) Be silent.

(Archaic) The swim bladder of a fish.

The state of being silent; entire absence of sound or noise; absolute stillness.

An instrument used to examine or explore body cavities, as for foreign bodies or other abnormalities, or to dilate strictures in them.

Forbearance from, or absence of, speech; taciturnity; muteness.

To make or give forth a sound

Secrecy; as, these things were transacted in silence.

To be given forth as a sound

The cessation of rage, agitation, or tumilt; calmness; quiest; as, the elements were reduced to silence.

To present a particular impression

Absence of mention; oblivion.

To cause to give forth or produce a sound

Be silent; - used elliptically for let there be silence, or keep silence.

To summon, announce, or signal by a sound

To compel to silence; to cause to be still; to still; to hush.

(Linguistics) To articulate; pronounce

To put to rest; to quiet.

To make known; celebrate

To restrain from the exercise of any function, privilege of instruction, or the like, especially from the act of preaching; as, to silence a minister of the gospel.

To examine (a body organ or part) by causing to emit sound; auscultate.

To cause to cease firing, as by a vigorous cannonade; as, to silence the batteries of an enemy.

To measure the depth of (water), especially by means of a weighted line; fathom.

The state of being silent (as when no one is speaking);

To try to learn the attitudes or opinions of

The absence of sound;

To probe (a body cavity) with a sound.

A refusal to speak when expected;

To measure depth.

The trait of keeping things secret

To dive swiftly downward. Used of a marine mammal or a fish.

Cause to be quiet or not talk;

To look into a possibility; investigate.

Keep from expression, for example by threats or pressure;

Free from defect, decay, or damage; in good condition

The state of being uncommunicative.

Free from disease or injury.

A situation without any activity or noise.

Marked by or showing common sense and good judgment; levelheaded

Based on valid reasoning; having no logical flaws

(Logic) Of or relating to an argument in which all the premises are true and the conclusion follows from the premises.

Secure or stable

Financially secure or safe

Thorough; complete

Deep and unbroken; undisturbed

Compatible with an accepted point of view; orthodox

Thoroughly; deeply

Healthy.

Complete, solid, or secure.

Having the property of soundness.

Good; acceptable; decent.

(of sleep) Quiet and deep.

Heavy; laid on with force.

Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective.

Soundly.

Yes; used to show agreement or understanding, generally without much enthusiasm.

A sensation perceived by the ear caused by the vibration of air or some other medium.

A vibration capable of causing such sensations.

(music) A distinctive style and sonority of a particular musician, orchestra, &.

Noise without meaning; empty noise.

, distance within which a certain noise may be heard.

(phonetics) A segment as a part of spoken language, the smallest unit of spoken language, a speech sound.

A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean.

The air bladder of a fish.

A long, thin probe for sounding or dilating body cavities or canals such as the urethra; a sonde.

(intransitive) To produce a sound.

(copulative) To convey an impression by one's sound.

(intransitive) To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.

To resound.

To arise or to be recognizable as arising in or from a particular area of law, or as likely to result in a particular kind of legal remedy.

(transitive) To cause to produce a sound.

To pronounce.

(intransitive) Dive downwards, used of a whale.

To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.

Test; ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.

(medicine) To examine with the instrument called a sound or sonde, or by auscultation or percussion.

The air bladder of a fish; as, cod sounds are an esteemed article of food.

A cuttlefish.

A narrow passage of water, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean; as, the Sound between the Baltic and the german Ocean; Long Island Sound.

Any elongated instrument or probe, usually metallic, by which cavities of the body are sounded or explored, especially the bladder for stone, or the urethra for a stricture.

The peceived object occasioned by the impulse or vibration of a material substance affecting the ear; a sensation or perception of the mind received through the ear, and produced by the impulse or vibration of the air or other medium with which the ear is in contact; the effect of an impression made on the organs of hearing by an impulse or vibration of the air caused by a collision of bodies, or by other means; noise; report; as, the sound of a drum; the sound of the human voice; a horrid sound; a charming sound; a sharp, high, or shrill sound.

The occasion of sound; the impulse or vibration which would occasion sound to a percipient if present with unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic media such cause sound; as, a treatise on sound.

Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and nothing else.

Whole; unbroken; unharmed; free from flaw, defect, or decay; perfect of the kind; as, sound timber; sound fruit; a sound tooth; a sound ship.

Healthy; not diseased; not being in a morbid state; - said of body or mind; as, a sound body; a sound constitution; a sound understanding.

Firm; strong; safe.

Free from error; correct; right; honest; true; faithful; orthodox; - said of persons; as, a sound lawyer; a sound thinker.

Founded in truth or right; supported by justice; not to be overthrown on refuted; not fallacious; as, sound argument or reasoning; a sound objection; sound doctrine; sound principles.

Heavy; laid on with force; as, a sound beating.

Undisturbed; deep; profound; as, sound sleep.

Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective; as, a sound title to land.

Soundly.

To measure the depth of; to fathom; especially, to ascertain the depth of by means of a line and plummet.

Fig.: To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.

To explore, as the bladder or urethra, with a sound; to examine with a sound; also, to examine by auscultation or percussion; as, to sound a patient.

To ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.

To make a noise; to utter a voice; to make an impulse of the air that shall strike the organs of hearing with a perceptible effect.

To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.

To make or convey a certain impression, or to have a certain import, when heard; hence, to seem; to appear; as, this reproof sounds harsh; the story sounds like an invention.

To cause to make a noise; to play on; as, to sound a trumpet or a horn; to sound an alarm.

To cause to exit as a sound; as, to sound a note with the voice, or on an instrument.

To order, direct, indicate, or proclain by a sound, or sounds; to give a signal for by a certain sound; as, to sound a retreat; to sound a parley.

To celebrate or honor by sounds; to cause to be reported; to publish or proclaim; as, to sound the praises of fame of a great man or a great exploit.

To examine the condition of (anything) by causing the same to emit sounds and noting their character; as, to sound a piece of timber; to sound a vase; to sound the lungs of a patient.

To signify; to import; to denote.

The particular auditory effect produced by a given cause;

The subjective sensation of hearing something;

Mechanical vibrations transmitted by an elastic medium;

The sudden occurrence of an audible event;

The audible part of a transmitted signal;

(phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language

A narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water

A large ocean inlet or deep bay;

Appear in a certain way;

Make a certain noise or sound;

Give off a certain sound or sounds;

Announce by means of a sound;

Utter with vibrating vocal chords

Cause to sound;

Measure the depth of (a body of water) with a sounding line

Financially secure and safe;

Exercising or showing good judgment;

In good condition; free from defect or damage or decay;

In excellent physical condition;

Reflects weight of sound argument or evidence;

Having legal efficacy or force;

Free from moral defect;

(of sleep) deep and complete;

Thorough;

Deeply or completely;

Audible vibrations that travel through air or another medium.

The sensation produced by vibrations reaching the ear.

Sound is produced by vibrations that travel through air or other media.

Yes, silence can indicate reflection, agreement, or discomfort.

Silence is the absence of any audible sound.

Examples include bird songs, rustling leaves, and flowing water.

Often, but it can also feel uncomfortable depending on the context.

Silence often signifies respect, contemplation, or remembrance.

Sound indicates activity, alerts, and can signal malfunctions.

Yes, particularly in remote or secluded places.

An example is the ringing of a phone or a conversation.

Yes, in music, storytelling, and creating atmospheres.

Sound enables verbal communication and expression of emotions.

Sound can indicate alerts, activity, or issues with devices.

Yes, it can indicate awkwardness or disengagement.

Silence can provide peace and help in concentration and reflection.

An example is pausing before responding to show thoughtfulness.