Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
quietist

quietist

1 9.9
A person who seeks inner peace through silent prayer and calm thinking
  • noun
  • /ˈkwaɪɪtɪst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : quietista
  • Many quietists believe that a deep connection with spirituality can be achieved through personal stillness.

Examples

  • The intention of Friends in the Quietist period was not to become like the worshipers of the Golden Calf.

    Blog text (18)

  • I understand why the quietists have stayed and how they have survived so far.

    Blog text (1)

  • I guess I'm a quietist, although before reading this article I didn't think of myself that way.

    Blog text (1)

  • If the followers of Islam were quietist and non-expansionist, then fewer people would have a problem with them.

    Blog text (8)

  • And I think his term "quietist" perfectly sums up the "lives of quiet desperation" of many Californians.

    Blog text (1)

  • The quietist preferred to spend hours in meditation, seeking inner peace through silent contemplation.

  • In his writings, the philosopher often acknowledged the importance of being a quietist in times of turmoil.

Synonyms

meditator
vsquietist
4 3.7

A person who sits quietly and focuses on breathing to relax

values inner passive stillness and religious mystic devotion rather than active technique
contemplative
vsquietist
1 6.7

A person who spends a lot of time in quiet prayer or thought

emphasizes passive mystical inner stillness rather than general thought

Antonyms

interventionist
7 7.1

Supporting government action to solve problems

activist
6 3.7

Taking part in actions for political or social change

How Passive

recluse
22 7.8
quietist
  • Specialized
1 9.9
participant
295 2.4
activist
6 3.7

Surface Forms

quietist singular
quietists plural

Morphology

quietist = quietism (semi-transparent) = quiet + quietism + ism + ist

The word is a regular -ist noun built on the specialized base 'quietism', so the derivation is clear but the meaning depends on a doctrinal term.

Etymology

The word quietist comes from the common word quiet, from the Latin 'quies' meaning 'rest', plus the ending -ist that means a person who practices or believes something. So a quietist is literally a person who practices 'quiet' or inner stillness, which is why the word is used for religious people who seek calm, passive prayer and deep contemplation.