Silence is argument carried on by other means.

The line suggests that refusing to speak is not neutral: silence can function as a rhetorical move, conveying dissent, contempt, strategic restraint, or tacit consent. In political and interpersonal conflict, withholding words may pressure an opponent, deny them legitimacy, or force them to reveal more. Read this way, “silence” becomes a form of argumentation—an indirect tactic that communicates position without explicit claims. The aphorism also warns that audiences interpret quietness as meaning, so choosing not to respond can shape outcomes as powerfully as speaking.