on speaking terms

Idioms  

1. Friendly enough to exchange superficial remarks, as in We're on speaking terms with the new neighbors .

2. Ready and willing to communicate, not alienated or estranged. For example, We are on speaking terms again after the quarrel . Both senses of this idiom commonly occur in the negative, as in Brett and his brother haven't been on speaking terms for years . The idiom was first recorded in 1786.

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Example Sentences

The report, citing unidentified sources, said the two had not been on speaking terms for "several weeks", with the Clippers believing Paul had become "disruptive."

From Barron's • Dec. 3, 2025

Relations will most likely return to what they were between Argentina's current Peronist President Alberto Fernandez and Brazil's Bolsonaro, who were not on speaking terms, he said.

From Reuters • Nov. 20, 2023

During a 2015 interview with Howard Stern, Pinkett Smith said her friendship with Shakur had been strained and the pair weren’t on speaking terms at the time of his death.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2023

Sunny and Charlie were not on speaking terms long before the the family feud soon spilled into the public domain.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2023

An innocent teenager in the middle of God’s green hell with no telephone, and not on speaking terms with her parents?

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver