--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Silence is golden when you can't think of…" description: "\"Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.\" — Muhammad Ali" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg" --- # Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer. ![“Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.” quote by Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg) > “Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.” [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing silence can be wiser than speaking without a good answer. **In simple terms:** Sometimes it's better to stay quiet. Key Takeaway Know when to speak and when to listen. Themes wisdom communication patience Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - negotiations - debates - conflict resolution - media interviews Key Concepts strategic silence thoughtful response Questions to Reflect On - When is silence more powerful than words? - How do you decide the right moment to speak? A Different Perspective Silence may be misinterpreted as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) [Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden/) [Golden Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-think-2973264/) [Good Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-answer-1096257/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Silence Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence-golden/) [Silence is golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence-is-golden/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) ## Related quotes > [“My silence is golden and can never be misquoted." ~Elissa Gabrielle”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elissa-gabrielle/my-silence-is-golden-and-can-never-be-misquoted-elissa-gabrielle/) [Elissa Gabrielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elissa-gabrielle/) > [Speech may be silver but silence is golden. Traders with the golden touch do not talk about their success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-bradford-raschke/speech-may-be-silver-but-silence-is-golden-traders-with-the-golden/) [Linda Bradford Raschke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-bradford-raschke/) > [Silence is golden but when it threatens your freedom it's yellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/silence-is-golden-but-when-it-threatens-your-freedom-it-s-yellow/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Silence is golden but, ducktape is silver”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-mckoin/silence-is-golden-but-ducktape-is-silver/) [Ellie McKoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-mckoin/) > [It is well, when in difficulties, to say never a word, neither black nor white. Speech is silver but silence is golden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-spark/it-is-well-when-in-difficulties-to-say-never-a-word-neither-black-nor/) [Muriel Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-spark/) > [“Say as little as possible,” Lady Berwick told the girls severely. “Remember that silence is golden.” Glancing at Pandora, she added, “In your case,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/say-as-little-as-possible-lady-berwick-told-the-girls-severely/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Silence is golden so we want to silence all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/silence-is-golden-so-we-want-to-silence-all-others/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [Silence is golden but too long a silence an imitation junk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/silence-is-golden-but-too-long-a-silence-an-imitation-junk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Speech Is Silvery; Silence Is Golden...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/speech-is-silvery-silence-is-golden/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Silence is golden for me. I live in the country and hear only my pets, birds, crickets, and the wind in the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/silence-is-golden-for-me-i-live-in-the-country-and-hear-only-my-pets/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) > [“If silence were golden, everyone would be rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/if-silence-were-golden-everyone-would-be-rich/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [My silence is golden, I Dnt waste time on empty barrels, empty barrels make the most noise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sweetner/my-silence-is-golden-i-dnt-waste-time-on-empty-barrels-empty-barrels/) [Sweetner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sweetner/) > [“I need this conversation. They say silence is golden. Maybe it is, although I'm not sure it's worth that much. It has its price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-sapkowski/i-need-this-conversation-they-say-silence-is-golden-maybe-it-is/) [Andrzej Sapkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-sapkowski/) > [“Silence is golden, and gold is up these days, so silence is a solid investment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/silence-is-golden-and-gold-is-up-these-days-so-silence-is-a-solid/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Silence is golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/silence-is-golden/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Muhammad Ali > [There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-are-more-pleasant-things-to-do-than-beat-up-people/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I don't count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. That is when I start counting, because then it really counts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-don-t-count-my-sit-ups-i-only-start-counting-when-it-starts-hurting/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I shouldn't have said. Called him names I shouldn't have called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-said-a-lot-of-things-in-the-heat-of-the-moment-that-i-shouldn-t/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Many people are quick to say that we are not recognized by Muslims in the East . And I start with the Honorable Elijah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/many-people-are-quick-to-say-that-we-are-not-recognized-by-muslims-in/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I have been so great in boxing they had to create an image like Rocky, a white image on the screen, to counteract my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-been-so-great-in-boxing-they-had-to-create-an-image-like-rocky/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Money and riches don't mean nothing to me. I don't care nothing about being no rich individual. I'm not living for glory or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/money-and-riches-don-t-mean-nothing-to-me-i-don-t-care-nothing-about/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Allah is the Greatest. I'm just the greatest boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/allah-is-the-greatest-i-m-just-the-greatest-boxer/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [My wealth is in my knowledge of self, love, and spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/my-wealth-is-in-my-knowledge-of-self-love-and-spirituality/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We followed the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, who is the boss. And we don't waste a lot of time arguin' about a dead black man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-followed-the-honorable-elijah-mohammed-who-is-the-boss-and-we-don/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm gonna have to be killed before I lose, and I ain't going to die easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-gonna-have-to-be-killed-before-i-lose-and-i-ain-t-going-to-die/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If some black man go out and start something, a riot or something or, I'm not going to jump in it and get killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-some-black-man-go-out-and-start-something-a-riot-or-something-or-i/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If you want to be equal with me, you can get your own Rolls-Royce, your own house and your own million dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-want-to-be-equal-with-me-you-can-get-your-own-rolls-royce-your/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) [Explore all 609 Muhammad Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) [Jon Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ellis/) > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) [Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muhammad Ali" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-of-a-good-answer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-of-a-good-answer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/muhammad-ali-386_golden_silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-o_1924237.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.” — Muhammad Ali", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Muhammad Ali", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Silence is golden when you can't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-of-a-good-answer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/silence-is-golden-when-you-can-t-think-of-a-good-answer/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```