silent killer
noun1
Idiomatic A disease experienced by someone who is not symptomatic; (by extension) a life-threatening risk that is hidden or underappreciated.
- For many people, diabetes is a silent killer.
- The threat stems from antimicrobial resistance or AMR, as this silent killer is called.2018 January 19, Thomas Cueni, “Pulling Together To Thwart A Silent Killer”, in Life Science Leader, archived from the original on 21 Oct 2021:
1 more example
- Heatwaves have grown hotter and stronger as the planet has warmed, making what doctors call a “silent killer” even more dangerous.[2026 June 22 [2025 June 27], Ajit Niranjan, “The ‘silent killer’: what you need to know about heatwaves”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2026: