Quiet and quite look and sound similar but have very different meanings and uses. Quiet is usually an adjective or noun meaning silence or calm, while quite is an adverb meaning “completely,” “to a certain degree,” or “really.”
In this article, you’ll learn the meanings of quiet and quite, how to use them correctly in sentences, and common examples that make the difference clear.
What Does “Quiet” Mean?
Quiet can be an adjective, noun, or verb. It generally refers to silence, calmness, or the absence of noise.
As an adjective: Describes something or someone making little or no noise.
Example: The baby is finally quiet.
As a noun: Refers to a state of calm or silence.
Example: I love the quiet of the countryside.
As a verb: Means to make something or someone silent or calmer.
Example: She tried to quiet the barking dog.
Examples:
- This library is always very quiet. (adjective)
- We enjoyed the quiet of the mountains. (noun)
- She tried to quiet her excited puppy. (verb)
What Does “Quite” Mean?
Quite is an adverb. It changes or emphasizes the meaning of an adjective, another adverb, or even a verb. The meaning of “quite” can be different depending on the word it modifies:
Completely – usually with strong or extreme adjectives.
Example: The instructions were quite clear.
Rather – with less extreme adjectives.
Example: It’s quite warm today.
Really – to emphasize truth or intensity.
Example: That’s quite amazing.
Usage:
- quite + adjective → quite easy, quite tall
- quite + adverb → quite quickly, quite well
- quite + verb → I quite agree, I quite like it
Examples:
- The movie was quite interesting.
- She’s quite certain about her choice.
- I quite enjoy long walks in the evening.
Example Sentences Using Quiet and Quite
Let’s look at more sentence examples to see how these words are used.
Example Sentences with Quiet
- Please be quiet during the exam.
- He spoke in a quiet voice so no one else could hear.
- The quiet of the morning was peaceful.
- Let’s enjoy a quiet dinner at home.
- She tried to quiet her baby by rocking him.
- After the storm, everything was strangely quiet.
- The teacher told the students to keep quiet.
- This café is a quiet place to work.
- We sat in the quiet of the library.
- He quickly quieted the angry crowd.
Example Sentences with Quite
- The cake is quite delicious.
- She’s quite tall for her age.
- I quite agree with your opinion.
- It’s quite cold outside today.
- She’s quite certain about her choice.
- He’s quite capable of managing the team.
- The test was quite easy compared to last time.
- I’m quite tired after working all day.
- We were quite surprised by the announcement.
- She plays the violin quite beautifully.
Quiz: Quiet or Quite?
1. Please keep ____ while the baby is sleeping.
a) quiet
b) quite
2. I’m ____ certain I left my phone on the desk.
a) quiet
b) quite
3. The library is a very ____ place to study.
a) quiet
b) quite
4. That’s ____ the most interesting lecture I’ve ever heard.
a) quiet
b) quite
5. The students were told to remain ____.
a) quiet
b) quite
6. The weather was ____ pleasant for a picnic.
a) quiet
b) quite
7. She tried to ____ the barking dog.
a) quiet
b) quite
8. The mountain village is a ____ escape from city life.
a) quiet
b) quite
9. I was ____ shocked by the news.
a) quiet
b) quite
10. The room fell completely ____ when the teacher entered.
a) quiet
b) quite
Quiz Answers
1) quiet
2) quite
3) quiet
4) quite
5) quiet
6) quite
7) quiet
8) quiet
9) quite
10) quiet
