silent killer

noun

A disease experienced by someone who is not symptomatic; (by extension) a life-threatening risk that is hidden or underappreciated.

“For many people, diabetes is a silent killer.”

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Meanings

nounsilent killer (plural silent killers)

plural silent killers

  1. idiomaticA disease experienced by someone who is not symptomatic; (by extension) a life-threatening risk that is hidden or underappreciated.

    For many people, diabetes is a silent killer.

    2 more examples

    The threat stems from antimicrobial resistance or AMR, as this silent killer is called.

    2018 January 19, Thomas Cueni, “Pulling Together To Thwart A Silent Killer”, in Life Science Leader, archived from the original on 21 Oct 2021

    Heatwaves have grown hotter and stronger as the planet has warmed, making what doctors call a “silent killer” even more dangerous.

    [2026 June 22 [2025 June 27], Ajit Niranjan, “The ‘silent killer’: what you need to know about heatwaves”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2026
Cite this entry
APA

silent killer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/silent%20killer

MLA

“silent killer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/silent%20killer. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “silent killer,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/silent%20killer.

Source: silent killer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.