silent treatment

American  

noun

1. an act or instance of maintaining silence or aloofness toward another person, especially as a means of indicating disapproval or rejection.

---

Etymology

Origin of silent treatment

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Polite formalities did not return at the toss, Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha giving each other the silent treatment.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

‘He thinks nothing of spending $40K on a new car’: My husband gives me the silent treatment.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

As his teammates continued to give him the silent treatment, Ohtani raised his arms and waved them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2024

“I’m not really understanding what the silent treatment is,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher told The Associated Press last week.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 29, 2023

I’d rather stand outside in the cold, waiting for my mom in the carpool line, than stand inside getting the silent treatment.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan