break the silence
The phrase "break the silence" is often used in contexts where someone initiates conversation or addresses a previously unspoken topic.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B1General
(common)To speak or make noise after a period of quiet.
Example
- The sound of laughter broke the silence in the room.
B2Communication
(common)To initiate conversation after a period of not talking.
Example
- After a long pause, he finally broke the silence by asking a question.
C1Social Issues
(common, figurative)To openly discuss a topic that has been avoided or considered taboo.
Example
- The journalist broke the silence on the issue of government corruption.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "break the silence":
silence is violencebreak the icesilence is goldenbreak coverbreak throughbreak withbreak insilent hmoment of silencebreak the moldbreak the storyspeak now or forever hold your peacesilent servicespeak upradio silencesilent partner