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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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
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
-
Red cards carry an automatic dismissal and a mandatory one-game benching.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
That student had been let out of school early and returned to the area around dismissal, according to the report.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the ceremony, her sister Joan Fontaine had presented the award for best actor and tried to congratulate de Havilland backstage, only to receive a cold shoulder that was caught by photographers.—
Chris Feil,
Vanity Fair,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The base lurks awkwardly on a windblown corner, all cold shoulders and sharp elbows, resenting its neighbors: a public-housing project, a softball field, the FDR Drive, and the bridge footings.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the Reina Sofía’s many refusals to lend the work to various institutions around the world, its rebuff of the Guggenheim’s request carries a particular sting because the Basque Country has long held that the painting belongs in the place where the depicted tragedy occurred.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The latest rebuff of state overreach was the dismissal last week of the highly questionable felony case against respected Waukegan City Clerk Janet Kilkelly brought by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This election could reshape not just Hungary but signal a broader European rejection of the illiberal, nationalist movements Orbán inspired among the global far-right.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
As GLP-1s become more ubiquitous, leading many to scramble after insurance rejections, both manufacturers are looking to draw in more customers who either prefer to avoid a needle or were unable to swing the out-of-pocket price.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silent treatment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silent%20treatment. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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