no wisdom like silence/nˈoʊ wˈɪsdəm lˈaɪk sˈaɪləns/sentence
used to imply that sometimes it is wiser to remain silent than to speak, as it can prevent one from saying something unnecessary or hurtful and allow one to listen, reflect, and learn from others
"Saying nothing is often the wisest choice — no wisdom like silence."
"She chose to say nothing and it turned out to be exactly right — no wisdom like silence."
beware of a silent man and still water/bɪwˈɛɹ əvə sˈaɪlənt mˈæn ænd stˈɪl wˈɔːɾɚ/sentence
used to imply that people who do not speak much or show their emotions can sometimes have hidden motives or qualities, and one should be cautious and attentive around them
"A quiet person with still water is potentially dangerous — beware of a silent man and still water."
"His calm and quiet nature made everyone suspicious — beware of a silent man and still water."
silence is half consent/sˈaɪləns ɪz hˈæf kənsˈɛnt/sentence
used to suggest that when someone remains silent in a situation where they could speak out or object, it can be interpreted as a form of agreement or acceptance
"Staying silent can be taken as agreement — silence is half consent."
"She said nothing during the vote and it was counted as approval — silence is half consent."
speech is silver, (but|) silence is golden/spˈiːtʃ ɪz sˈɪlvɚ bˌʌt ɔːɹ sˈaɪləns ɪz ɡˈoʊldən/sentence
used to suggest that sometimes it is better to remain quiet and not speak out, as silence can be more valuable and effective than speaking
"Silence is more valuable than speech — speech is silver, but silence is golden."
"She said nothing when challenged and let the facts speak — speech is silver, silence is golden."
a still tongue makes (for|) a wise head/ɐ stˈɪl tˈʌŋ mˌeɪks fɔːɹ ɔːɹ ɐ wˈaɪz hˈɛd/sentence
used to imply that it is often wise to remain quiet and listen carefully before speaking or taking action
"Quiet people are often the most thoughtful — a still tongue makes a wise head."
"He rarely contributed in meetings but his occasional remarks were always significant — a still tongue makes for a wise head."
silence is the best response to a fool/sˈaɪləns ɪz ðə bˈɛst ɹɪspˈɑːns tʊ ɐ fˈuːl/sentence
used to suggest that it is often wiser to remain silent and refrain from engaging in arguments or discussions with foolish, ignorant, or irrational individuals
"Do not respond to foolishness — silence is the best response to a fool."
"She ignored the provocative comment entirely — silence is the best response to a fool."
Learn all 6 words in this list with spaced repetition