Silence hung in the air.

Meaning: There is a very heavy and oppressive silence in the air.

Choice of Words: Silence is the absence of sound. Hung means to be suspended or supported. The refers to a specific silence. Air is the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth. So, the sentence describes a silence that is so intense, it seems to hang in the air like a thick cloud.

Alternative Expressions

The room was filled with silence.

Meaning: This means that the room was very quiet, with no sounds or noises. It was like being in a bubble of silence.

Choice of Words: Room is a closed space with walls and a roof, like a bedroom or a classroom. Filled means to be completely occupied or taken up by something. When you put these words together, "The room was filled with silence" means that the silence was everywhere in the room, like water filling a glass.

There was a deafening silence.

Meaning: This means that the silence was so intense and overwhelming that it felt like a loud noise. It was like being in a room with no sound, but the silence was so heavy that it was almost painful.

Choice of Words: Deafening means extremely loud or causing loss of hearing. Silence means no sound or noise. When you put these words together, "deafening silence" creates a sense of irony, because silence is usually quiet, but in this case, it's so loud that it can make you deaf.

Related Expressions