radio silence

[rey-dee-oh sahy-luhns]

noun

1. a state or period of time in which radios are not transmitting signals: The week’s stormy weather has caused local radio silence.

   The planes were required to maintain radio silence until their mission was accomplished.

   The week’s stormy weather has caused local radio silence.

2. a period of time in which a person or organization is not communicating as usual.

   Sorry for the radio silence, but from now on my blog posts will be more regular.

Other Word Forms

• radio silent adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of radio silence¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Neri and I usually text and talk all day, but with Brad Pitt there, it’s like radio silence from 10 in the morning to 10 at night; she doesn’t respond.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The radio silence that accompanies re-entry went on far longer than normal.

Read more on BBC

It approached Astrolight three years ago looking for a laser that would allow ships to communicate during radio silence.

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Normally radio silence about attacks indicates that a victim organisation has paid the hackers to keep quiet.

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After being fired from the ‘Scream’ franchise, Melissa Barrera reclaims her scream queen status with ‘Abigail,’ the latest campy, gory romp from Radio Silence Productions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times