children should be seen and not heard
idiom
—used to say that children should be quiet and well-behaved
Examples of children should be seen and not heard in a Sentence
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Izzy Wisher, an archeologist who focuses on Upper Paleolithic cave art in Spain, says the Victorian-era belief that children should be seen and not heard may have influenced the scientific discipline.
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Jaimie Seaton, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2024
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Jaimie Seaton, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Children should be seen and not heard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/children%20should%20be%20seen%20and%20not%20heard. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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