silent majority

noun

1. the U.S. citizens who supported President Nixon's policies but who were not politically vocal, outspoken, or active: considered by him to constitute a majority.
2. any group of people who are not outspoken and who are considered to constitute a majority.

silent majority

noun

1. a presumed moderate majority of the citizens who are too passive to make their views known

silent majority

1. A term used by President Richard Nixon to indicate his belief that the great body of Americans supported his policies and that those who demonstrated against the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War amounted to only a noisy minority.

Word History and Origins

Origin of silent majority¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Idioms and Phrases

A group that makes up a majority of voters but does not widely express its views through marches or demonstrations. For example, They thought they had a convincing case, but they hadn't counted on the silent majority . This idiom was first recorded in 1874 but gained currency in the 1960s, when President Richard Nixon claimed that his policies were supported by a majority of citizens who did not bother to make their views known.

Example Sentences

So much for Democrats tapping into the hidden power of a “silent majority” of women who were thought to be hiding their political views from their husbands.

From Los Angeles Times

One unaffiliated voter who said he planned to vote for Democrats across the board described himself as being part of a “silent majority” in Nassau County, noting that Trump supporters tended to be more ostentatious in expressing their political leanings and that many of their neighbors supporting Gillen or Vice President Kamala Harris were anxious about putting signs on their lawns, for example.

From Salon

He added that the party represented the "silent majority" and could have won more seats, but that "amateurism let us down".

From BBC

They did it after a rigorous consultation and with the support of the "silent majority", she adds.

From BBC

Nixon talked about his white “silent majority.”

From Salon