break the silence

verb

To start talking in a conversation after a period where nobody speaks.

“Both men waited for the captain to make a decision. Finally, Dean broke the silence. “We need to know what to do, Captain! Before we sink!””

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Meanings

verbbreak the silence (third-person singular simple present breaks the silence, present participle breaking the silence, simple past broke the silence, past participle broken the silence)

present singular third person breaks the silence · participle present breaking the silence · past broke the silence · participle past broken the silence

  1. To start talking in a conversation after a period where nobody speaks.

    Both men waited for the captain to make a decision. Finally, Dean broke the silence. “We need to know what to do, Captain! Before we sink!”

    1 more example

    Words, like violence, / Break the silence / Come crashing in, / Into my little world

    1990, Depeche Mode, “Enjoy the Silence”, in Violator
  2. To state an opinion on a subject that has been taboo for a period of time.

    The Free Tibet campaign is calling on world leaders to break the silence, claiming they "continue to refrain from publicly speaking out for Tibet".

    2012 June 19, Julian Baggini, “Why it's not the Dalai Lama's job to break the silence on Tibet”, in The Guardian
Cite this entry
APA

break the silence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20the%20silence

MLA

“break the silence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20the%20silence. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “break the silence,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/break%20the%20silence.

Source: break the silence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.