There was a long painful silence while she deliberated on his words.

A painful silence settled over the room, deep and charged.

Only she didn't, and the painful silence dragged on.

There was a painful silence for a time, broken by the major's suggestive cough.

A long, painful silence followed, which I did not choose to break.

We circled and climbed out of the canyon in painful silence.

When the point had been reached, there would be a painful silence.

The Protestants went about in painful silence, and fear blanched every face.

Nothing was done, and some questions were still pointed to him, followed by a moment of painful silence.

After a lengthy, painful silence, Del turned her head away.