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 However, there is a silver lining, both metaphorically and quite visually: Eliasen says the current forecast for the area looks to buck the odds and offer possibly the country's clearest view of the solar display. Eric Henderson, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2024 But many lamented that despite the fears that come along with an earthquake, the silver lining was that the event had brought everyone together on X for the first time in months. Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 5 Apr. 2024 But there’s a pretty considerable silver lining to all of this, especially if the dissolution of this joint venture represents the dissolution of the thing that was preventing you from embracing the adventure of a lifetime. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024 But there is a silver lining to the DEI function’s constriction: The cream has risen to the top. Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 China stood out as a silver lining in the last quarter as the success of AB InBev’s premium drinks propped up earnings by 32%. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 1 Mar. 2024 As the case goes to trial, the former president’s inner circle sees a silver lining in the timing. Alan Feuer, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024 Resilience And Vigilance Are Working A silver lining, but disproportionately to the hysteria about supply-chains-in-trouble, was the fact that the ship signaled distress and within minutes police had stopped traffic in both directions. Kevin O'Marah, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024 But again, the silver lining for Portugal is this number marks an 8.53 percent drop from the 2012 data, which had 68.11 road deaths per million inhabitants. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'silver lining.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near silver lining

Cite this Entry

“Silver lining.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silver%20lining. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

silver lining

noun
: a consoling or hopeful prospect
looked for the silver lining in a bad situation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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