tacitly
Americanadverb
-
without saying so; silently.
We both knew we had different views on the subject, and tacitly agreed not to make it an issue.
-
in a way that is partly unconscious or cannot be explained in words.
The hardest tasks to automate are those demanding skills that we understand only tacitly.
Etymology
Origin of tacitly
Explanation
Things that are done tacitly assume there is an unspoken understanding between the people or groups involved. Walking into your friend's house without knocking first tacitly expresses that you are like family, not a guest. Leaving the seat at the head of the table for the guest of honor is a way to tacitly express respect and observe a custom. Maybe you never talked to your friends about sitting together at lunch — you just started doing it one day — you tacitly plan to continue eating together. The Latin root of tacitly is tacitus, which means "something that is silent or performed without words."
Vocabulary lists containing tacitly
1984
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The Bluest Eye
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Emma
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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.
Whereas Eddy is middle-class and tacitly accepted by his family, Jordan was kicked out of his house and spent years living in his car.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Even the White House communications staff has tacitly admitted that something is going on, though all they will say is Trump has chronic venous insufficiency, a conveniently benign condition.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026
He never asked about how her film was going, but the director sensed he was tacitly checking in on her progress, hoping that she was not losing faith.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
The wingman pilot acknowledged his sudden manoeuvre led to the collision, but argued that the lead aircraft's pilot had "tacitly consented" to the manoeuvre since he was aware that filming was taking place.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2026
Most laypeople and many historians assume, expressly or tacitly, that the answer is yes.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
