# silver tongue

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/silver-tongue
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The trait of being articulate and clever at speaking, often in a deceitful way.

## Examples

- He has a silver tongue and always gets what he wants.
- You use your silver tongue to get out of trouble at work.
- That lawyer has a silver tongue but I do not trust him.
- The salesman used his silver tongue to convince her to buy a car she didn't need.
- The politician used his silver tongue to avoid answering the difficult questions about the new tax laws during the live debate.
- My neighbor has a silver tongue and often talks people into doing his yard work for free.
- The charming con artist used his silver tongue to persuade the elderly couple into investing their entire life savings in a fake gold mine.
- Though she lacked experience, her silver tongue secured her the position, leaving the interviewers unaware of how little she actually knew.

## Origin

From silver + tongue. The noun phrase is likely derived from the adjective silver-tongued, which appeared in English earlier than the substantive form. The construction follows the pattern of attributing the qualities of the precious metal—clarity, resonance, and value—to the mechanics of speech. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.