Bite One’s Tongue.
English
idiom
To stop oneself from saying something that might upset someone or cause an argument.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To stop oneself from saying something that might upset someone or cause an argument.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To hold back what you want to say, even when it’s hard.
When you bite your tongue, you choose silence over conflict — you have something to say but decide not to say it.
It’s often used when someone is frustrated or disagrees but knows that speaking would only make things worse.
"Hold Your Tongue"
—
Stop talking or stay quiet, often used as a direct command to someone else
"Bite the Bullet"
—
Push through something difficult or painful rather than avoiding it
"Bite One’s Tongue"
—
Deliberately stop yourself from saying something
Why didn’t you say anything when he got the timeline completely wrong?
I bit my tongue — I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of the client.
I bit my tongue through that whole dinner, but what she said about your job was out of line.
I know. I appreciate that you didn’t say anything. I’ll talk to her.
How did you get through that family gathering without saying something?
I just bit my tongue the whole time. It wasn’t worth the drama.
