# wall of silence

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/wall-of-silence
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Strict secretiveness maintained by the members of a group with respect to information which might be contrary to their interests, especially information concerning questionable actions by members of the group.

## Examples

- The team met a wall of silence when they asked about the missing money.
- Despite the police investigation into the accident, the witnesses maintained a wall of silence to protect their friend.
- The internal inquiry into the company's financial misconduct quickly stalled as executives erected a wall of silence to prevent any incriminating information from reaching the public.

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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.