silver lining

noun

: a consoling or hopeful prospect

Examples of silver lining in a Sentence

If there's a silver lining to losing my job, it's that I'll now be able to go to school full-time and finish my degree earlier.
Recent Examples on the Web Even Trump often seems guilty more of wishful thinking than of something darker, pleading with Fauci to find some sort of silver lining. Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024 For Ukraine, growing skepticism comes with a silver lining. Dominic Tierney, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2024 The vacancy survey did include a few silver linings. Téa Kvetenadze, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2024 It was filmed during this pandemic, so things were different, but Williams was able to find the silver linings despite the circumstances. Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for silver lining 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'silver lining.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase "every cloud has a silver lining"

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of silver lining was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near silver lining

Cite this Entry

“Silver lining.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silver%20lining. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

silver lining

noun
: a consoling or hopeful prospect
looked for the silver lining in a bad situation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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