# speech is silver, silence is golden

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/speech-is-silver-silence-is-golden
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Not saying anything is often better than speaking too much or saying something inappropriate.

## Examples

- Remember that speech is silver, silence is golden when you feel like complaining.
- During the heated argument, he remembered that speech is silver, silence is golden and chose to say nothing at all.
- In the face of such intense provocation, the diplomat wisely recalled that speech is silver, silence is golden, and maintained a calm, strategic composure.

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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.