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.
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
That might be akin to Alan Greenspan’s more tight-lipped Fed of the past.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
But that tight-lipped strategy may not be as safe as it sounds.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
The company remains tight-lipped about its hantavirus effort, though it confirmed last week that it had conducted “preclinical research” with the U.S.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
He wanted to be optimistic, but she dropped another tight-lipped smile at him, and he knew that this was it.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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.
