silent treatment

Definition

A form of social sanction that consists of ignoring a particular individual, neither speaking to that person nor responding to his or her words.

Example Sentences

• "to give someone the silent treatment"
• "Finally we gave him the silent treatment, and for weeks before he died we neither spoke to him nor did he speak to us."
• "We met one woman who had been given the silent treatment by her husband for 40 years. If the silent treatment becomes a longstanding pattern, you lose self-esteem and perspective."

Related Words