tacit
Americanadjective
-
understood without being openly expressed; implied.
tacit approval.
- Synonyms:
- implicit, unsaid, unspoken, unexpressed
-
silent; saying nothing.
a tacit partner.
-
unvoiced or unspoken.
a tacit prayer.
adjective
-
implied or inferred without direct expression; understood
a tacit agreement
-
created or having effect by operation of law, rather than by being directly expressed
Other Word Forms
- tacitly adverb
- tacitness noun
Etymology
Origin of tacit
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin tacitus “silent,” past participle of tacēre “to be silent” (cognate with Gothic thahan; akin to Old Norse thegja )
Explanation
Something tacit is implied or understood without question. Holding hands might be a tacit acknowledgment that a boy and girl are dating. The adjective tacit refers to information that is understood without needing to acknowledge it. For example, since we know that the sky is blue, that kind of assumption is tacit. Lawyers talk about "tacit agreements," where parties give their silent consent and raise no objections.
Vocabulary lists containing tacit
Lord of the Flies
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
To Kill a Mockingbird
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Bonta’s appearance comes as another major Hollywood merger appears to be sailing through its federal review with Trump’s tacit approval: Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110-billion deal for Warner Bros.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
In this, they become complicit through tacit consent.
From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026
That was a tacit acknowledgement that in just over eight months, Americans will head to the polls in midterm elections that will determine the composition of both chambers of Congress.
From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026
“But unlike physical abuse and neglect, financial abuse is more likely to occur with the tacit acknowledgment and consent of the elder person and can be more difficult to detect and establish,” the researchers note.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 11, 2026
It was an open-and-shut case, a fixed arrangement, a tacit agreement that there was no question of going back on.
From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
