I cant easily come up with a verbal expression I can use when I decided to stop talking about something because it's a sensitive topic, for example. One expression I can think of is 'I'll stop talking about it here', but it feels somewhat redundant and too much decisive. Another expression is 'I'll save my words', but is it commonly used?

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    I would just say "This is a sensitive topic to me; I'm unwilling to discuss it further." – Jeff Zeitlin Jan 22 '18 at 16:51
  • Jeff Zeitlin: Including for me restricts the meaning (to contexts where it's the speaker who feels internally conflicted in respect of the topic). But @Dan's excellently idiomatic I'll bite my tongue usually implies that even though the speaker himself has no problem thinking/talking about it, he will refrain from doing so because it's a sensitive matter for other people. – FumbleFingers Reinstate Monica Jan 22 '18 at 17:12
  • It also might be that the speaker doesn't want to reveal why they don't want to discuss it further. – JiK Jan 23 '18 at 13:23

There are many options available to you here, and they often differ in the reasoning for not saying something.

I'll bite my tongue

This is a colloquialism used when you might have otherwise said something negative or incriminating, normally involving somebody else.

It's not my place to say

If the thing in question is about somebody else and it's of a personal nature, you might choose this.

I'd rather not talk about it

You might use this option if the thing involves you or upsets/embarrasses you.

Now is not the time to talk about this

This one's pretty self-explanatory, and can also imply that this is neither the time nor place to talk about the thing.

I don't have [much/anything else] to say about it

A straight-forward approach that should help end a discussion.

(Anyway,) let's move on

To move the conversation forward, and hopefully avoid any discussion at all about it.

Again, there are many options available to you depending on context.

  • I don't know why but my comment has been removed. Thank you for a great answer, I'll refer to this whenever I need :) – Gwangmu Lee Jan 24 '18 at 5:57

To add on to Dan's excellent answer: I agree that there are many options, and the nuances of each vary depending on what you want to say. Here are some others:

I'll just leave it at that

I think I've said enough on that topic (for now).

Well, you've heard (enough about) my opinion on the subject.

More colloquially:

I've blabbered/babbled/prattled/gabbed on long enough.

I'll just shut up now.

Enough said. (or 'nuff said)

  • maximum-calibre, high-density upvote for "I'll just leave it at that." – N. Presley Jan 22 '18 at 17:46
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    Good answer. A similar variation: "I guess I'll just leave it there." – BradC Jan 22 '18 at 22:21
  • A side question: what's the meaning of ' bed on long'? – dan Jan 23 '18 at 1:10
  • @dan I'm not sure what you're looking at. There are four synonymous verbs that mean "to talk at length, usually about trivia or silly things" -- blabber, babble, prattle, and gab. Saying "I've gabbed on long enough" is a kind of humble self-deprecation. – Andrew Jan 23 '18 at 4:42
  • Oops, it is the word gabbed are split on my phone screen. Is on long enough a set phrase? – dan Jan 23 '18 at 5:09

If the person you're talking to has seen the movie Forrest Gump, the phrase

That's all I have to say about that.

will express your reluctance to continue the conversation and possibly produce a laugh depending on how good your Tom Hanks impression is.


The following bunch of examples are probably the simplest phrases you can use to let your interlocutor know that you realize you're breaching his or her discussional comfort zone and thus will not continue discussing the issue that makes them feel uncomfortable any further:

I see that talking about this makes you feel uncomfortable. Let's just switch the topic.

You don't feel comfortable talking about this? Oh, I see. Let's just change the topic.

The death of your father is a sensitive topic to you? Then, let's not touch on that.

You don't feel comfortable talking about this? Then, let's not touch that subject.

I understand that you don't feel comfortable talking about this. Let's move on to something else, shall we?

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