1
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
he remained closemouthed about their activities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
encourage the closemouthed children to speak up and not be shy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of closemouthed
There’s also the closemouthed, menacing technician who lives on a houseboat and raises snakes; the actress first hired for the show’s leading part who dropped out of the role before shooting began; and the unknown burglar who fled the frightened player’s house.
—
Tom Nolan, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022
Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2021
Ever since the couple pulled up stakes and moved away from the United Kingdom in March, their new spokespeople have been even more closemouthed.
—Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
By and large, this is a secretive, closemouthed group of individuals who want nothing more than to say little and share even less.
—Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 3 July 2018
Led by Vice President Temer, whose cryptic, closemouthed demeanor has his rivals comparing him to a butler in a horror movie, the centrists anchoring Ms. Rousseff’s coalition broke away last week.
—Simon Romero, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
Tom Nolan, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022
Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2021
Ever since the couple pulled up stakes and moved away from the United Kingdom in March, their new spokespeople have been even more closemouthed.
—Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
By and large, this is a secretive, closemouthed group of individuals who want nothing more than to say little and share even less.
—Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 3 July 2018
Led by Vice President Temer, whose cryptic, closemouthed demeanor has his rivals comparing him to a butler in a horror movie, the centrists anchoring Ms. Rousseff’s coalition broke away last week.
—Simon Romero, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closemouthed
Adjective
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Half of the speech is devoted to condemning slavery, its defenders and those who remain silent in its face.—
Frederic J. Fransen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 July 2025
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Once you’re negatively labeled, even your best work struggles to break through the silent barrier those words create.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Tillman, who is generally more reserved than spotlight-chasing players in his role, strode up and shanked his attempt off the post to his left, perhaps hampered by the foul on his plant leg.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
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The reserved Federal lands and interests in lands encompass approximately 0.12 acres.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The figure surpasses that of the closest rival, China, which had 317 companies represented.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
10 July 2025
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Evening operations require a delicate balance: maintaining service standards while preparing for close and keeping everyone safe.—
Elie Y. Katz,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
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Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
-
Besides those aided by conductors in the secretive social network, many other freedom seekers traveled on their own.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025
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Over 100 Roman Catholic cardinals, including one from Ohio, will gather in the Sistine Chapel and begin the secretive voting process.—
Alex Perry,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
These moves have prompted concern among segments of Trump's base supportive of a restrained international role, raising questions about the administration's direction ahead of a crucial 2026 midterm election cycle.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
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As Rick, Goggins got to show longtime fans and incoming members of his fan club a rarer side of the actor: quiet, restrained, in deep amounts of unspoken pain.—
Josh Wigler,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
Pulse Picks Yes, the MLB trade deadline could be quiet … but there are some big names that could move, too.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
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Once a quiet fishing village, Nazaré, Portugal, is home to some of the world's largest rideable waves, reaching up to 100 feet.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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In New York, however, some local pols weren’t so reticent.—
Ron Kampeas,
Sun Sentinel,
2 July 2025
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Why have so many been so reticent about adding this asset class to portfolios?—
Chris Carosa,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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