quieten
To make something or somebody hush up.
Also called quieten down, quiet down.
Updated September 24, 2026
quieten pronunciation
/KWY-uh-tun/
Meaning
Quieten means settle the noise. You quieten a room of kids, quieten a barking dog, or quieten yourself before church starts. In Southern and Appalachian houses it often shows up as quieten down or quieten it down, a parental order that does the same job as hush without being quite as sharp.
How folks use it
- “Y'all quieten down before your daddy gets in from the barn.”
- “That radio will quieten the baby if you turn it low.”
Origin and etymology
Older British English verb built from quiet plus -en. American English mostly shifted to quiet down, but Southern and Appalachian talk kept quieten. DARE survey answers list quieten down among commands to stop talking.
Frequently asked questions
Is quieten the same as quiet down?
Same idea. Quieten is the older form that stuck in Southern mouths.