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

Derived Forms

• ˈreticently, adverb
• ˈreticence, noun

Other Words From

• reti·cence reti·cen·cy noun
• reti·cent·ly adverb
• non·reti·cent adjective
• non·reti·cent·ly adverb
• un·reti·cent adjective
• un·reti·cent·ly 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

The fewer women who take companies public, the more reticent the check writers are, because they may have never seen somebody like you.

From Washington Post

New hires are more hesitant to say they don’t understand their responsibilities or reticent to ask how to do certain tasks via Zoom versus in person.

From Fortune

Next, the researchers plan to expand their survey to understand why people are reticent about the vaccine.

From MIT Technology Review

Unfortunately, they have also been far too reticent on the need for better access to medicine.

From Fortune

In contrast to generally more reticent American producers, who rarely go on the record on this subject, Lloyd Webber seems willing to talk about his efforts for as long as there is battery life in a recording device.

From Washington Post

When asked to evaluate his own work, Leigh was a little more reticent.

From The Daily Beast

When it comes to his own role in the story, Tomlinson is surprisingly reticent.

From The Daily Beast

Back home in New Orleans, Donovan is reticent and Pleasant is reflective, but neither man fit in.

From The Daily Beast

President James Madison, at the time closely allied with Thomas Jefferson, was not reticent about discussing wealth inequality.

From The Daily Beast

And, unlike most of the men on this show, that small fact has made him reticent to start a relationship with his new protégé.

From The Daily Beast

Jim, however, proved to be much more reticent than his friends deemed either necessary or agreeable.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, earlier that morning he had been closely questioned by the commandant, but had been equally reticent.

From Project Gutenberg

Laura was inclined to be reticent, but Tanqueray drew her out by congratulating her on her popularity, on the way she kept it up.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of the foot pedestrians are said to have been less reticent about the lamp-posts.

From Project Gutenberg

But we all know that this is a subject on which scientific men are apt to be reticent.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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