tight-lipped
Americanadjective
-
speaking very little; taciturn; close-mouthed.
-
having the lips drawn tight.
adjective
-
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.
It’s been taking some time for investors to adjust to Warsh’s tight-lipped style, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
But she has been tight-lipped so far, saying at the ECB's last meeting in September there was "nothing to report" on the matter.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
The Plymouth County district attorney’s office has been tight-lipped thus far on whether it will seek a new trial, offer a plea deal, or drop the prosecution entirely.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Hargitay has been tight-lipped about what producers have in store for the night, though she did reveal her aspirations for doing something in the vein of an “SVU musical” during the ceremony.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
I slunk around the car and planted a tight-lipped peck on her cheek.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
