SILENT TREATMENT Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

silent treatment

noun

Definition of silent treatment

as in dismissal

treatment that is deliberately unfriendly ever since our run-in at the party she's been giving me the silent treatment

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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.

Recent Examples of silent treatment In the present, they’re awkwardly reunited for his brother’s destination wedding in Barcelona, following two years of mutual silent treatment. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026 Destructive silent treatment creates an imbalanced power dynamic in the relationship. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025 Brit greets everyone, including Kelli, who opts for the ever-mature silent treatment. — Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 June 2025 Modern nineteenth-century prisons in various parts of the world, including in the British empire, began to model their own prisons off of the Eastern State Penitentiary, instituting separate and silent treatments that suppressed language. — Amir Hussain june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for silent treatment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for silent treatment

Noun

Trump’s Justice Department has been reviewing the pending cases one by one before seeking dismissal.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
The widespread dismissal of standardized testing is one of the silliest and most harmful developments in the past twenty-five years of education discourse.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of dismissal

Noun

Perhaps this accident of birth is connected to the subtle rebuff of modern life in Marcon’s films.

— Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
The rebuff contributes to the future civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, in which Rhaenyra battles her half-brother Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) for the seat of power.

— Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026

Definition of rebuff

Noun

His concurrence read the panel’s decision as narrower than a categorical rejection of federal access.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
However, the film faced rejection from film festivals like Sundance and SXSW, and struggled to secure traditional studio distribution because of its controversial, pitch-black satirical premise about school shootings and social media.

— Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of rejection

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silents

silent treatment

silent treatments

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“Silent treatment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silent%20treatment. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of silent treatment

noun

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