0 an advantage that comes from a difficult or unpleasant situation:
I'm looking for a silver lining in this report, and I'm not finding it.
There may be a silver lining in all the commotion: buyers who still want large vehicles can haggle a really good price.
If there's a silver lining to the news that foodborne illness is on the rise, it's that greater consumer awareness can help improve the safety of our food supply in the long run.
