reticent

[ret-uh-suhnt]

adjective

1. disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved.

   Synonyms: uncommunicative, quiet, taciturn
   Antonyms: voluble, talkative

2. reluctant or restrained.

reticent

/ ˈrɛtɪsənt /

adjective

1. not open or communicative; not saying all that one knows; taciturn; reserved

Other Word Forms

• reticence noun
• reticency noun
• reticently adverb
• nonreticent adjective
• nonreticently adverb
• unreticent adjective
• unreticently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of reticent¹

First recorded in 1825–35; from Latin reticent- (stem of reticēns ), present participle of reticēre “to be silent,” equivalent to re- “again, back” + -tic-, combining form of tacēre “to be silent” ( tacit ) + -ent- adjective suffix; re-, -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of reticent¹

C19: from Latin reticēre to keep silent, from _re- + tacēre to be silent

Example Sentences

It became clear within moments that Shyamalan’s concept would win the day, though Sparks is reticent to say why, except that “mine was pretty dark.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s not as though Anderson has been exactly reticent to live in the moment.

Read more on Salon

And I was reticent about it because I did not want to replicate what we did in the Music Dance Experience, because that’s iconic of itself.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"We've been a little reticent to be bold with in our approach to tall buildings, and arguably with architecture in Glasgow generally," he says.

Read more on BBC

It costs a few hundred dollars a day to detain an immigrant; deportation can cost thousands, and some countries are reticent to accept the return of their citizens.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bashful 
• hesitant 
• mum 
• reserved 
• restrained 
• shy 
• silent 
• taciturn