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: 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
silvered; silvering
ˈsil-v(ə-)riŋ 
Synonyms
Example Sentences
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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 28 Jan. 2023
Ahead of her fourth and final run, Sadowski-Synnott sat in silver-medal position.
—Michelle Bruton, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023
Miller is one of the greatest American goalies, finishing his career in 2021 with a strong, but not overwhelming, Hall of Fame case: 391 wins, .914 save percentage, an Olympic silver medal in 2010, when he was named tournament MVP and best goalie.
—Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Jan. 2023
Broberg’s stellar resume includes the silver medal at the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the bronze at the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition, and the top prize from the American Pianists Association in 2021.
—oregonlive, 15 Jan. 2023
Eleven months ago at the Winter Olympics, Russia won the gold medal, the United States won the silver medal and Japan won the bronze in the team figure skating competition.
—Christine Brennan, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2023
This delicate wooden heart pendant is set on a sterling silver chain and can be engraved with a special message.
—Christina Montoya Fiedler, Good Housekeeping, 28 Dec. 2022
The Fenty Beauty founder was wearing a thick silver chain studded with colorful stones, and had her hair styled in braids.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 13 Nov. 2022
Depp also models sunglasses and a chest-revealing button-down shirt with layers of silver chain necklaces.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2022
Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2023
For a more contemporary take, these sterling silver rectangular cufflinks look edgy.
—Maverick Li, Men's Health, 26 Jan. 2023
The post said the suspect, a Black male wearing a blue hoodie and driving a silver or gray four-door sedan with Tennessee plates, was last seen headed westbound on Interstate 40.
—Dale Ellis, Arkansas Online, 17 Jan. 2023
Dorothy's iconic ruby red slippers were silver in the book.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, ELLE, 1 Jan. 2023
Ivey and Maddie were gifted multiple presents, including bikes, a silver metallic purse, and a Barbie playhouse and unicorn.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2022
Klum attended the premiere with her husband, musician Tom Kaulitz, who matched her in a silver metallic suit.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Dec. 2022
Supermodel Naomi Campbell arrived wearing a silver metallic trench coat and a neck full of opulent jewelry, while model Cindy Bruna took the little black slit dress to daring lengths while strutting inside.
—André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2022
The 20 Years Edition ditches the usual Union Jack logos in favor of a silver roof and mirror caps.
—Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 21 Sep. 2022
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
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Noun
Levito ultimately completed the competition with a score of 223.33, with Tennell — a two-time U.S. champion — accumulating 213.12 points to win the silver medal.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 28 Jan. 2023
Ahead of her fourth and final run, Sadowski-Synnott sat in silver-medal position.
—Michelle Bruton, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023
Miller is one of the greatest American goalies, finishing his career in 2021 with a strong, but not overwhelming, Hall of Fame case: 391 wins, .914 save percentage, an Olympic silver medal in 2010, when he was named tournament MVP and best goalie.
—Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Jan. 2023
Broberg’s stellar resume includes the silver medal at the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the bronze at the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition, and the top prize from the American Pianists Association in 2021.
—oregonlive, 15 Jan. 2023
Eleven months ago at the Winter Olympics, Russia won the gold medal, the United States won the silver medal and Japan won the bronze in the team figure skating competition.
—Christine Brennan, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2023
This delicate wooden heart pendant is set on a sterling silver chain and can be engraved with a special message.
—Christina Montoya Fiedler, Good Housekeeping, 28 Dec. 2022
The Fenty Beauty founder was wearing a thick silver chain studded with colorful stones, and had her hair styled in braids.
—Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 13 Nov. 2022
Depp also models sunglasses and a chest-revealing button-down shirt with layers of silver chain necklaces.
—Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2022
Adjective
Fire crews pulled Dike out of a silver 2007 Infiniti G35 and took her to a hospital where detectives obtained a sample of her blood.
—Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2023
For a more contemporary take, these sterling silver rectangular cufflinks look edgy.
—Maverick Li, Men's Health, 26 Jan. 2023
The post said the suspect, a Black male wearing a blue hoodie and driving a silver or gray four-door sedan with Tennessee plates, was last seen headed westbound on Interstate 40.
—Dale Ellis, Arkansas Online, 17 Jan. 2023
Dorothy's iconic ruby red slippers were silver in the book.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, ELLE, 1 Jan. 2023
Ivey and Maddie were gifted multiple presents, including bikes, a silver metallic purse, and a Barbie playhouse and unicorn.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 28 Dec. 2022
Klum attended the premiere with her husband, musician Tom Kaulitz, who matched her in a silver metallic suit.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 Dec. 2022
Supermodel Naomi Campbell arrived wearing a silver metallic trench coat and a neck full of opulent jewelry, while model Cindy Bruna took the little black slit dress to daring lengths while strutting inside.
—André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2022
The 20 Years Edition ditches the usual Union Jack logos in favor of a silver roof and mirror caps.
—Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 21 Sep. 2022
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
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'silver.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English seolfor; akin to Old High German silbar silver, Lithuanian sidabras
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of silver was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing silver
Dictionary Entries Near silver
Cite this Entry
“Silver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silver. Accessed 9 Feb. 2023.
Kids 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
silver
2 of 3 adjective
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
More from Merriam-Webster on silver
Nglish: Translation of silver for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of silver for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about silver
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