the silent treatment

the silent treatment

A punishment in which one completely ignores or refuses to speak to someone. I didn't think he would be so offended by my joke, but he's been giving me the silent treatment for days now.
See also: silent, treatment
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the silent treatment

a stubborn refusal to talk to someone, especially after a recent argument or disagreement.
2000 Independent Since the complaint, Ms Thomas , who has worked for the City police since 1994 , claims she has been given the silent treatment.
See also: silent, treatment
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • walk all over
  • walk all over (someone)
  • walk all over somebody
  • in on the joke
  • no offense taken
  • lame joke
  • if you don't mind me saying (so)
  • if you don't mind me/my saying so...
  • if you don't mind my saying (so)
  • be in/get into somebody's good/bad books
References in periodicals archive
Men are particularly bad at sitting down and talking through a problem, so they just give you the silent treatment. It's very controlling behaviour, but I just don't think your husband is going to change.
Dear Coleen WHENEVER I do something to upset my husband, he gives me the silent treatment for hours or even days.
He said that the Moroccan-American rapper gave him the silent treatment when he asked him about the stolen track outside of DJ Khaled's studio in 2017.
We live close to his family, all of whom have, on several occasions, in recent years given me the silent treatment, called me names, and generally caused me a lot of stress.
But, rather than rant and rave postmatch, under-fire Jokanovic revealed he gave his flops the silent treatment.
Head coach Bo Perasol wasn't that pleased with how his team performed in the first half after trailing by three, 44-41, and he decided to give the Fighting Maroons the silent treatment come the third and fourth quarters.
And why must every refusal be met with a threat of a break up?That's emotionally abusive, much like the silent treatment.
One night from PS147pp If your loved one has been slaving over the turkey, they deserve to have the Silent Treatment on offer in this contemporary spa in this splendid manor set in eight acres of parkland and gardens in the Tudor village of Cuckfield.
This might include giving your partner the silent treatment, drinking alcohol to numb emotional pain or burying your head in the sand.
The main housing also received the silent treatment, making it one of the quietest in its class.
He reacts by locking away the latest prescription, sleeping on the sofa, and generally giving his wife the silent treatment, so Kylie decides to turn to someone else for answers about her son's condition - Max's dad Callum.
Yes, we know he's grieving but she doesn't deserve the silent treatment. Is it the end of the line for these two?
3 JOSE MOURINHO revealed a dose of the silent treatment at half-time led to an improved performance from his Chelsea side as Andre Schurrle hit a hat-trick to see off Fulham at Craven Cottage.
- The psychological perspective can add a third type of silence: "the silent treatment," or social ostracism, considered by many as a form of social rejection.
At a recent evening at Eat, restaurant-goers didn't seem to mind the silent treatment as they noshed on salads and sipped their soups.