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Synonyms

incommunicative

American  
[in-kuh-myoo-ni-kuh-tiv, -kay-] / ˌɪn kəˈmju nɪ kə tɪv, -ˌkeɪ- /

adjective

  1. not communicative; reserved; uncommunicative.


incommunicative British  
/ ˌɪnkəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv /

adjective

  1. tending not to communicate with others; taciturn

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of incommunicative

First recorded in 1660–70; in- 3 + communicative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

But he was able to communicate with Willis about getting the beloved series to viewers “before the disease rendered him as incommunicative as he is now.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2023

"News of the World," therefore, becomes an adventure featuring a grizzled older man and a young incommunicative child.

From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2020

Some parents say the camp has been incommunicative with them as the outbreak spread.

From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2020

They were both at a late-night dinner in Rome in May, but Osaka said she was tired and incommunicative that time.

From New York Times ● Sep. 6, 2018

Oh!" replied the ancient chair, in a quiet and easy tone, for it had now cleared its throat of the dust of ages, "I am naturally a silent and incommunicative sort of character.

From Grandfather's Chair by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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