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- Dictionaryreticent/ˈrɛtɪs(ə)nt/
adjective
- 1. not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily: "she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs"
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1. : inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech : reserved. 2. : restrained in expression, presentation, or appearance. the room has an aspect of reticent dignity A. N. Whitehead. 3. : reluctant. reticently adverb. Did you know? The History of Reticent Is Less Than 200 Years Old.
unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings: He is very reticent about his past. Most of the students were reticent about answer ing questions. Compare. self-effacing. shy adjective (NERVOUS) SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Not saying much. a few well-chosen words idiom. abruptly. abruptness. boo. briefly. cat. concisely.
unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings: He is very reticent about his past. Most of the students were reticent about answer ing questions. Compare. self-effacing. shy adjective (NERVOUS) SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Not saying much. a few well-chosen words idiom.
1. Inclined to keep one's thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs to oneself. See Synonyms at laconic. 2. Restrained or reserved: "The laughter was steady, if reticent" (Bernard Lown). 3. Usage Problem Reluctant; unwilling. [Latin reticēns, reticent-, present participle of reticēre, to keep silent : re-, re- + tacēre, to be silent.]
adjective. Someone who is reticent does not tell people about things. She is so reticent about her achievements. [+ about/on] As a reticent sort, the England defender was reluctant to hog the limelight. Synonyms: uncommunicative, reserved, secretive, unforthcoming More Synonyms of reticent. reticence uncountable noun.
Reticent can refer to someone who is restrained and formal, but it can also refer to someone who doesn’t want to draw attention to herself or who prefers seclusion to other people. Don’t confuse reticent with reluctant, which means unwilling.
