the silent treatment
noun
: the act of ignoring someone because one is angry at him or her
Whenever she gets mad at me, she gives me the silent treatment.
Examples of the silent treatment in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What about even more subtle behavior, such as parents criticizing each other or giving one another the silent treatment?
—
Angela J. Narayan,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
This week, especially, she’s been off, giving me the silent treatment or speaking to me sharply for no clear reason.
—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Holman, at times, had to endure racist jokes and slurs, and got the silent treatment from some.
—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Jan. 2026
Gonzalez, 63, had been a member of the Bar since 1993, but also had been suspended by the state Supreme Court since May 22, 2024, for giving the Bar the silent treatment on his grievances.
—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
Davis didn’t have anything to say to Allen — and the silent treatment continued after the team landed in the Bay Area and boarded buses to the team’s training facility in Alameda.
—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Pouting is not a mature response, and the silent treatment is a tactic that is often used by emotionally abusive partners.
—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
6 Oct. 2025
But according to the United Kingdom’s Telegraph, Modi has been giving Trump the silent treatment.
—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
As noted, this AI maneuver of the silent treatment has tradeoffs.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Angela J. Narayan,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
This week, especially, she’s been off, giving me the silent treatment or speaking to me sharply for no clear reason.
—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Holman, at times, had to endure racist jokes and slurs, and got the silent treatment from some.
—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Jan. 2026
Gonzalez, 63, had been a member of the Bar since 1993, but also had been suspended by the state Supreme Court since May 22, 2024, for giving the Bar the silent treatment on his grievances.
—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
Davis didn’t have anything to say to Allen — and the silent treatment continued after the team landed in the Bay Area and boarded buses to the team’s training facility in Alameda.
—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Pouting is not a mature response, and the silent treatment is a tactic that is often used by emotionally abusive partners.
—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
6 Oct. 2025
But according to the United Kingdom’s Telegraph, Modi has been giving Trump the silent treatment.
—
Jamie McIntyre,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
As noted, this AI maneuver of the silent treatment has tradeoffs.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“The silent treatment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20silent%20treatment. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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