From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishheavy silence/atmosphereheavy silence/atmosphereQUIETa situation in which people do not speak and feel sad, anxious, or embarrassed A heavy silence fell upon the room. → heavy
Examples from the Corpus
heavy silence/atmosphere• Most unwillingly they went and stood before the hero in heavy silence.• Not a bird, not an insect, not a zephyr relieves that hot, heavy silence.• There is sun, heavy silence, a pervasive scent of parched vegetation, a lizard materialized on a rock.• He has a ready supply, and despite the heavy atmosphere and flat light it carries us out to Langdale.• A heavy silence fell upon the room.• For at least two minutes a heavy silence filled the hut.• She knew that if she didn't speak Carla would get more and more nervous, eventually breaking the heavy silence herself.• A heavy silence sank down on them. 