1
: a very malleable metallic chemical element with atomic number 47 that is capable of a high degree of polish, has the highest thermal and electric conductivity of any substance, and that is used especially in jewelry and tableware, in electronics, and as an antimicrobial see Chemical Elements Table
2
: silver as a commodity
the value of silver has risen
3
: coin made of silver
4
: articles (such as hollowware or table flatware) made of or plated with silver
also
: similar articles and especially flatware of other metals (such as stainless steel)
5
: a nearly neutral slightly brownish medium gray
6
: coho
7
: a silver medal awarded as the second prize in a competition
1
: made of silver
2
: resembling silver: such as
a(1)
: having a white lustrous sheen
(2)
: of or tending towards the color silver
silver fur
a silver gray
b
: giving a soft resonant sound : dulcet in tone
c
: eloquently persuasive
3
: consisting of or yielding silver
4
: of, relating to, or characteristic of silver
5
: advocating the use of silver as a standard of currency
6
: of, relating to, or being a 25th anniversary or its celebration
silvered; silvering
ˈsil-v(ə-)riŋ 
1
a
: to cover with silver (as by electroplating)
b
: to coat with a substance (such as a metal) resembling silver
2
a
: to give a silvery luster to
b
: to make white like silver
Synonyms
Examples of silver in a Sentence
Noun
a bracelet made of silver
an artist who works in silver and gold
a wooden statue inlaid with silver
We need to polish the silver.
Adjective
a dress trimmed with silver ribbon
a distinguished-looking gentleman with silver hair
Verb
The surface of the lake was silvered by the moonlight.
Recent Examples on the Web
USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
The islands' distinctive geography and diverse climates give rise to a rich array of plant life, including unique endemic species that are exclusive to Hawaii, like the spiky, silver ʻāhinahina.
—Kathleen Wong, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2024
Available in yellow gold, silver, and rose gold finishes, these earrings create the illusion of a double piercing.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
It is offered in two classic colorways: stainless steel with a gray-blue opaline dial or rose gold with vertical satin finished silver dial (my personal fave).
—The Editors, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
Try teal spirals or striped acid yellow tapers in silver candleholders topped with jade rings or pale blue ones that look like large format rigatoni bent into interesting shapes.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
Costco is selling $200 million in gold and silver monthly.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2024
The outdoor lounge and a two-car driveway is surrounded by groomed landscaping requiring minimal watering, including geiger trees with tangerine-colored flowers, silver buttonwood, and coontie palm, what early Groveites used to grow to boil and eat as their starch.
—Rebecca San Juan, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Later in the video, a woman wearing a black cloak and silver mask, whom the actor called the Unknown, jumped out and scared the kids.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024
Police allegedly located a silver Smith and Wesson .357 revolver in the grass near where Barnes was standing.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
The company unveiled an all-new Total Solar Eclipse Doughnut, which was an Original Glazed Doughnut dipped in black chocolate icing, adorned with silver sprinkles, piped with a buttercream made with Oreo pieces, and featured a whole Oreo in the center.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
But most of the characters have already seen their dreams burn down: Faye Greener, a beautiful but talentless actor; her father, an old vaudevillian reduced to peddling silver polish; and a host of other eccentrics and grotesques.
—Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Currently on display is an abstract work by the French painter Serge Poliakoff and silver dishes by Pablo Picasso.
—Caitie Kelly Lindsey Tramuta Lauren Cochrane Angela Koh Laura Bannister Gisela Williams, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The total solar eclipse doughnut is an original glazed doughnut dipped in black chocolate icing, sprinkled with silver sprinkles and piped with a buttercream made with Oreo cookie pieces and topped with an Oreo cookie.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 2 Apr. 2024
Related article Why Costco is selling gold bars and silver coins
The People’s Bank of China bought gold for the 17th straight month in March, adding 160,000 ounces to bring reserves to 72.74 million troy ounces of gold, according to Reuters.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Rihanna upped the edge factor with a silver chain necklace.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2024
David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2021
Imboden’s partner, Ysaora Thibus, helped France to silver in the women’s team foil.
—Rachel Axon, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Aug. 2021
The United States' Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell rallied to silver with a score of 310.80 and Mexico's Gabriela Agundez Garcia and Alejandra Orozco Loza took bronze with a score of 299.70.
—Brian Munoz, USA TODAY, 29 July 2021
Her routine earlier in Tokyo earned her a score of 15.4, the highest anyone has received so far, and stepped up to lead Team USA to silver with an unexpected floor routine when teammate Simone Biles pulled out of competition.
—Angela Vang/st. Paul, Time, 28 July 2021
The inside surface of this object is silvered and 100% reflective (or as close to it as practically possible).
—Quanta Magazine, 1 Apr. 2020
These 400 silvered glass panels, tucked into the western edge of that hot, hot desert, are there to generate heat 15 times that amount.
—Laura Mallonee, Wired, 21 Jan. 2020
The grass was silvered with dew, the tears of Aurora, in Roman mythology, the goddess of dawn who wept each sunrise for her dead son, Memnon.
—Maureen Stanton, Longreads, 17 Jan. 2020
His silvered-mirror furniture from the '30s and '40s is all the rage today, but eight years ago this bed ended up in a sleepy sale at Sotheby's.
—Frances Schultz, House Beautiful, 8 Nov. 2012
Noun
The Rio Tinto Kennecott website says the facility mines copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and tellurium.
—USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2024
The islands' distinctive geography and diverse climates give rise to a rich array of plant life, including unique endemic species that are exclusive to Hawaii, like the spiky, silver ʻāhinahina.
—Kathleen Wong, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2024
Available in yellow gold, silver, and rose gold finishes, these earrings create the illusion of a double piercing.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
It is offered in two classic colorways: stainless steel with a gray-blue opaline dial or rose gold with vertical satin finished silver dial (my personal fave).
—The Editors, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
Try teal spirals or striped acid yellow tapers in silver candleholders topped with jade rings or pale blue ones that look like large format rigatoni bent into interesting shapes.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
Costco is selling $200 million in gold and silver monthly.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2024
The outdoor lounge and a two-car driveway is surrounded by groomed landscaping requiring minimal watering, including geiger trees with tangerine-colored flowers, silver buttonwood, and coontie palm, what early Groveites used to grow to boil and eat as their starch.
—Rebecca San Juan, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Later in the video, a woman wearing a black cloak and silver mask, whom the actor called the Unknown, jumped out and scared the kids.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
Adjective
If Euphoria core influenced Coachella’s fashion in years past, 2024 has now gone cosmic cowboy as the silver boots and cowboy hats took over the festival grounds.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024
Police allegedly located a silver Smith and Wesson .357 revolver in the grass near where Barnes was standing.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
The company unveiled an all-new Total Solar Eclipse Doughnut, which was an Original Glazed Doughnut dipped in black chocolate icing, adorned with silver sprinkles, piped with a buttercream made with Oreo pieces, and featured a whole Oreo in the center.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
But most of the characters have already seen their dreams burn down: Faye Greener, a beautiful but talentless actor; her father, an old vaudevillian reduced to peddling silver polish; and a host of other eccentrics and grotesques.
—Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Currently on display is an abstract work by the French painter Serge Poliakoff and silver dishes by Pablo Picasso.
—Caitie Kelly Lindsey Tramuta Lauren Cochrane Angela Koh Laura Bannister Gisela Williams, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The total solar eclipse doughnut is an original glazed doughnut dipped in black chocolate icing, sprinkled with silver sprinkles and piped with a buttercream made with Oreo cookie pieces and topped with an Oreo cookie.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 2 Apr. 2024
Related article Why Costco is selling gold bars and silver coins
The People’s Bank of China bought gold for the 17th straight month in March, adding 160,000 ounces to bring reserves to 72.74 million troy ounces of gold, according to Reuters.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Rihanna upped the edge factor with a silver chain necklace.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2024
Verb
Meinhardt’s wife, Lee Kiefer, won gold in women’s foil, and Imboden’s girlfriend, Ysaora Thibus, helped France to silver in the women’s team.
—David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2021
Imboden’s partner, Ysaora Thibus, helped France to silver in the women’s team foil.
—Rachel Axon, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Aug. 2021
The United States' Jessica Parratto and Delaney Schnell rallied to silver with a score of 310.80 and Mexico's Gabriela Agundez Garcia and Alejandra Orozco Loza took bronze with a score of 299.70.
—Brian Munoz, USA TODAY, 29 July 2021
Her routine earlier in Tokyo earned her a score of 15.4, the highest anyone has received so far, and stepped up to lead Team USA to silver with an unexpected floor routine when teammate Simone Biles pulled out of competition.
—Angela Vang/st. Paul, Time, 28 July 2021
The inside surface of this object is silvered and 100% reflective (or as close to it as practically possible).
—Quanta Magazine, 1 Apr. 2020
These 400 silvered glass panels, tucked into the western edge of that hot, hot desert, are there to generate heat 15 times that amount.
—Laura Mallonee, Wired, 21 Jan. 2020
The grass was silvered with dew, the tears of Aurora, in Roman mythology, the goddess of dawn who wept each sunrise for her dead son, Memnon.
—Maureen Stanton, Longreads, 17 Jan. 2020
His silvered-mirror furniture from the '30s and '40s is all the rage today, but eight years ago this bed ended up in a sleepy sale at Sotheby's.
—Frances Schultz, House Beautiful, 8 Nov. 2012
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'silver.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near silver
Cite this Entry
“Silver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silver. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
silver
1 of 3 noun
sil·ver
ˈsil-vər
1
: a soft white metallic element that takes a high polish and is a better conductor of heat and electricity than any other substance see element
2
a
: coin made of silver
b
: articles (as tableware) made of or plated with silver
c
: tableware made of other metals (as stainless steel)
3
: a medium gray
4
: a silver medal awarded as the second prize in a competition
silver
2 of 3 adjective1
: relating to, made of, or yielding silver
silver jewelry
silver ore
2
Medical Definition
silver
noun
sil·ver
ˈsil-vər
: a white metallic element that is sonorous, ductile, very malleable, capable of a high degree of polish, and chiefly monovalent in compounds, and that has the highest thermal and electric conductivity of any substance
—symbol Ag
see Chemical Elements Table
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