tight-lipped
Americanadjective
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speaking very little; taciturn; close-mouthed.
-
having the lips drawn tight.
adjective
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reticent, secretive, or taciturn
-
with the lips pressed tightly together, as through anger
Etymology
Origin of tight-lipped
First recorded in 1875–80
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.
Four weeks after the dinner, Waller publicly criticized a tight-lipped approach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Warsh made it clear he wants a more tight-lipped central bank, one that isn’t telegraphing the Fed’s plans for interest rates in advance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
Investors will be watching for any clues from ECB President Christine Lagarde in her post rate-call press conference about the path ahead for rates, although she is typically tight-lipped.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Unsurprisingly, Swift and Kelce have been tight-lipped about wedding details, but keeping an event this huge under wraps is an uphill battle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
She stayed tight-lipped and thought if she kept on frowning, he'd eventually go away.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
