ˈevri klaʊd hæz ə ˈsɪlvər ˈlaɪnɪŋ
Nature & Weather
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Every cloud has an edge of silver light from the sun behind it
What does "every cloud has a silver lining" mean?
- There is something positive in every negative situation
- Difficult times often lead to better things
Examples
- I lost my job but found a better one—every cloud has a silver lining.
- The injury forced me to slow down and appreciate life. Every cloud has a silver lining.
- Remember, every cloud has a silver lining.
Origin
From John Milton's masque 'Comus' (1634): 'Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud / Turn forth her silver lining on the night?' The image is of sunlight behind dark clouds.
How to use it
Very common proverb for encouragement. Often shortened to 'silver lining.' Can seem platitudinous if used insensitively.
Similar expressions
look on the bright side
blessing in disguise
Opposites
things go from bad to worse
Related idioms
- out of the blue
Unexpectedly; without warning
- beat around the bush
To avoid talking about the main point of a conversation
- go with the flow
To accept things as they are and adapt accordingly
- once in a blue moon
Very rarely; almost never
- tip of the iceberg
A small visible part of a much larger hidden problem
- it's raining cats and dogs
It's raining very heavily
Use it in a practice answer
Try "every cloud has a silver lining" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.