silver lining

noun

: a consoling or hopeful prospect

Examples of silver lining in a Sentence

If there's a silver lining to losing my job, it's that I'll now be able to go to school full-time and finish my degree earlier.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But a new report from Insurify shows any silver lining to drivers cutting back on miles is incredibly thin. Contessa Brewer,dawn Giel, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026 Connecting the dots Back in 2022, Dixon and Cove, who works for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, made a rather macabre discovery, but one that has turned out to be a silver lining in the war against the Burmese python. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026 Although the crew is still experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, Koch said one silver lining is their ability to sleep in any time zone that offers some shut-eye. Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026 Claxton sounds ready for a different conversation, one that puts more weight on winning and less on silver linings. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for silver lining

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase "every cloud has a silver lining"

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of silver lining was in 1871

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Cite this Entry

“Silver lining.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silver%20lining. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

silver lining

noun
: a consoling or hopeful prospect
looked for the silver lining in a bad situation
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