What Is Stonewalling? Find Out If You’re Unintentionally Using This Method During Conflicts

Stonewalling is a tactic that a person uses to hurt or punish others intentionally or unintentionally.

Every human has their own way of coping with problems that arise after conflicting with someone. Having empathy, understanding, and proper communication with others can sustain a relationship in a healthy way. Often, when issues arise with loved ones, people have different ways of dealing with them. In a general sense, when one has some tension or an argument with another individual, communication and comprehension are the way to resolve the matter. But not everyone has the ability to do this. To cope with such problems, they use different methods, and one such method is called Stonewalling.

So, What Exactly Is Stonewalling?

Stonewalling is a method used when someone refuses to talk with the other individual. By using this tactic, they try to withdraw from the fight or issue that they have faced. This can be intentional or unintentional. It is termed as ‘Stonewalling’ because a person who uses this method just stops responding, just like a stone wall. When one uses this technique to deal with conflicts, they can dismiss the other individual’s opinions or accuse another person of exaggerating the situation. At the same time, the individual using this tactic may say that there isn’t any problem even though the issue clearly exists. 

This is how people try to control the relationship. This can be mentally exhausting for the person receiving this treatment, as they may not feel heard or often be confused as to why the other is not communicating with them. This can massively damage the relationship, often leaving the other individual hurt.

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What makes It Intentional?

Many people use stonewalling unintentionally to deal with a certain situation. Some individuals use this tactic when they are uncomfortable talking about their emotions or feelings, so they do not opt to discuss them openly with the other individual. On the other hand, many intentionally use it to hurt the people they are in conflict with. Such people are usually aware that they are using this method. Their main goal can be to manipulate the situation or the people involved in that situation. This usually happens in emotionally abusive relationships, where the person tries to control the other partner. 

The silent treatment usually happens when a person thinks that their partner should know what the issue is without them verbally saying it. They refuse to talk about the problem, which leads to the other person being confused as to what happened and what should be done next.

By reading this article, we hope you’ve got some clarity. Now the question arises: have you ever intentionally or intentionally used Stonewalling as a way to deal with conflicts, or have you been on the receiving end of it?

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First Published: September 23, 2025 3:22 PM