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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Example Sentences

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 My partner is not physically abusive but checks a lot of other boxes: yelling, vicious anger, name-calling, silent treatments. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 Instead, some of us learn to resort to cattiness, silent treatments, passive aggression, and the 'mean-girl' behaviours thought to be inherent to being female. Natalie Gil, refinery29.com, 11 July 2023 The team gave Diaz the trademark silent treatment at first, before mobbing him in front of the television cameras and joining in on the celebration. Josh Criswell, Chron, 14 May 2023 That silent treatment should end today. Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2021 See All Example Sentences for silent treatment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silent treatment
Noun
  • The order included full pardons of those already sentenced, commutations of sentences of 14 Proud Boys and Oath Keepers and the dismissal of all pending cases.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
  • But chipping away at central bank independence, as Trump appears to be doing with his open criticism of the Fed chair and implicit threats of dismissal, is a historically sure way to high inflation.
    Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But the Rockies gave them a cold shoulder, losing 6-3 to the Athletics in 11 innings in a game that took 3 hours and 21 minutes.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Worst of all, local and state government agencies have shown an increasing tendency to fend off public-records requests with barriers like unjustified fees or a simple cold shoulder, letting records requests lie dormant for weeks or months with no response.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Their firm rejection of federal government conditions also emphasizes autonomy's critical role in organizational health.
    Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The 6-foot-11 big man is logging averages of 19.2 points, 10.4 boards, 4.9 dimes, 1.1 swipes and 0.8 rejections across his 75 available contests.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Silent treatment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silent%20treatment. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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