conspiracy of silence
3
8.1
- noun
- /kənˈspɪrəsi əv ˈsaɪləns/
- Literature
:
conspiración del silencio
- The documentary revealed a conspiracy of silence that had shielded the organization from scrutiny.
Examples
-
In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.
Blog text (14) -
We could not hear their truths and upheld the conspiracy of silence with our censures and condemnations.
Academic text (1999) -
Perhaps there was a conspiracy of silence on this point.
Fiction book (1994) -
There was no breaking through the conspiracy of silence.
Academic text (1999) -
I want to see what's at the bottom of this conspiracy of silence.
-
I joined the conspiracy of silence and denial.
Academic text (1993) -
Thus, he was also a participant in the conspiracy of silence.
Fiction book (1994) -
The answer is that there is a conspiracy of silence when it comes to this most abusive of all financial systems.
Blog text (25) -
Silent Spring was published after years of frustration with a conspiracy of silence in government circles.
Blog text (13) -
Their voices will grow fainter over time, as more details of the sickening conspiracy of silence emerge.
Blog text (4)
Synonyms
137
5.5
An attempt to hide a crime or scandal from the public
3
7.2
A group's choice to stay silent to protect members from blame
2
9.5
An unwritten rule among police officers not to report a colleague's illegal actions to protect them from punishment
1
9.9
A rule not to tell people outside about crimes in a gang
1
9.9
A choice not to speak to avoid giving information
An agreement between people not to speak about something
Antonyms
How Secretive
- Literature
137
5.5
- Literature
3
8.1
39
3.7
8
3.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
conspiracy + of + silence
Both 'conspiracy' (a secret agreement) and 'silence' (withholding speech) directly combine to indicate a secret agreement to remain silent, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning. The noun + of + noun construction and similar expressions in many languages make this compositional pattern transparent rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
The phrase conspiracy of silence comes from the image of a group secretly agreeing to keep quiet; conspiracy is a secret plan and silence is 'not talking'. That's why it means an agreed choice to avoid speaking about something, often to protect people or 'hide' wrongdoing.