Synonyms for reticent
- adjective
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Restrained
2. Self-effacing
3. Taciturn
taciturn, tight-lipped, cagey, uncommunicative, reserved, silent, close, closemouthed, untalkative, secretive
4. Reluctant
Definitions
- adj. 1
Unwilling to communicate; keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained.
She's rather reticent on the subject of her finances.
- adj. 2
Hesitant or not wanting to take some action; reluctant (usually followed by a verb in the infinitive).
He is reticent to travel so much.
Example sentences
- restrained We are constrained to and restrained from an action.
- unemotional Think of me as an unemotional woman.
- taciturn Mary's partner is a taciturn person.
- reluctant Some soldiers were reluctant to obey the commands.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| reticent | rising | |
| restrained | steady | |
| unemotional | rising | |
| undemonstrative | rising | |
| taciturn | rising | |
| reluctant | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- close1, quiet2, loath1, cagey2
- 6 letters
- silent2
- 8 letters
- reserved2, retiring3, backward2, taciturn3
- 9 letters
- reluctant3, unwilling3, secretive3
- 10 letters
- restrained2
- 11 letters
- unemotional5, disinclined3, untalkative
- 12 letters
- closemouthed
- 15 letters
- uncommunicative, undemonstrative
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (quiet2 = 2 syllables).