radio silence

[ rey-dee-oh sahy-luhns ]

noun
  1. a state or period of time in which radios are not transmitting signals:The planes were required to maintain radio silence until their mission was accomplished.The week’s stormy weather has caused local radio silence.

  2. a period of time in which a person or organization is not communicating as usual: Sorry for the radio silence, but from now on my blog posts will be more regular.

Origin of radio silence

1
First recorded in 1920–25

Other words from radio silence

  • ra·di·o si·lent, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use radio silence in a sentence

  • Nor could Logan switch to "intercom only," since a sudden radio silence would create anxiety below.

    Tight Squeeze | Dean Charles Ing
  • If they observed radio silence, search ships would never find them.

    The Impossible Voyage Home | Floyd L. Wallace
  • It is quite possible that Vice-Admiral Macon will maintain radio silence, save for ship to plane, throughout the entire voyage.

    Dave Dawson at Truk | Robert Sydney Bowen
  • And radio silence it had to be, even if the whole darn Nazi Luftwaffe was tearing out for a crack at the ferry bombers.

  • You could go down as though shot, and keep radio silence in case he buzzes you as to what has happened.