taciturn

American  

[tas-i-turn] / ˈtæs ɪˌtɜrn /

adjective

1. inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation.

   Synonyms:

   quiet, reticent, uncommunicative, silent

2. dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.

---

taciturn British  

/ ˈtæsɪˌtɜːn /

adjective

1. habitually silent, reserved, or uncommunicative; not inclined to conversation

---

Other Word Forms

• taciturnity noun
• taciturnly adverb
• untaciturn adjective
• untaciturnly adverb

Etymology

Origin of taciturn

First recorded in 1765–75; from Latin taciturnus, “quiet, maintaining silence,” equivalent to tacit(us) “silent” ( see tacit) + -urnus adjective suffix of time

Explanation

Someone who is taciturn is reserved, not loud and talkative. The word itself refers to the trait of reticence, of seeming aloof and uncommunicative. A taciturn person might be snobby, naturally quiet, or just shy. Having its origin in the Latin tacitus, "silent," taciturn came to be used in mid-18th-century English in the sense "habitually silent." Taciturnity is often considered a negative trait, as it suggests someone uncommunicative and too quiet. Jane Austen wrote, "We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb."

Example Sentences

In 1983, he slipped into the role of a taciturn Texas ranger waging war against an arms dealer in "Lone Wolf McQuade", which provided the template for the cult TV series "Walker, Texas Ranger".

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

The authorities say it was an accident, but Isaiah’s neighbor—a taciturn, tough-minded 37-year-old woman named Smilla—suspects foul play.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025

And on another potentially tricky topic, the sacking of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, Trump was unusually taciturn.

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2025

“The Order” is about these two taciturn men coming face to face, told with a pared-down tension that, decades ago, made stars out of actors like Charles Bronson.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024

Lou Kasischke, the gentlemanly lawyer I’d met at the airport, had climbed six of the Seven Summits—as had Yasuko Namba, forty-seven, a taciturn personnel director who worked at the Tokyo branch of Federal Express.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• aloof
• dour
• laconic
• reticent