1
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
the panel decided to investigate the fraud charges against the company, which has always been reticent about its internal operations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
her husband is by nature a reticent person, and she resigned herself to that fact long ago
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reluctant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
understandably, she's reticent about becoming involved with another evangelical religious sect
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reticent
Lue’s two stars are reticent, but James Harden and Kawhi Leonard spoke volumes with their play in forcing a Game 7 in Denver on Saturday night.
—
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
The ‘big three’ countries of India, Australia and England have been reticent given that slipping into the lower bracket would scupper their money-making plans.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
But the mayor was reticent Friday, saying safety could be achieved without an outright ban on non-essential helicopter travel.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
Unlike Molly, who's politely reticent and reluctant to speak up for herself, Nikki can't resist expressing her anger and sorrow—or, more precisely, dramatizing them for whatever audience of oncologists happens to be in range.
—Dory Jackson, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reticent
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
The ‘big three’ countries of India, Australia and England have been reticent given that slipping into the lower bracket would scupper their money-making plans.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
But the mayor was reticent Friday, saying safety could be achieved without an outright ban on non-essential helicopter travel.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
Unlike Molly, who's politely reticent and reluctant to speak up for herself, Nikki can't resist expressing her anger and sorrow—or, more precisely, dramatizing them for whatever audience of oncologists happens to be in range.
—Dory Jackson, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reticent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reticent
Adjective
-
Their work resists gentrification's silent displacement and instead champions intentional design, historical reverence, and generational empowerment.—
Stephanie Tharpe,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
There were silent Sunday night dinners at restaurants and essentially no contact with any extended relatives.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sprinkle tops evenly with reserved sugar-flour mixture (about 1 1/2 teaspoons each).—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
28 May 2025
-
My ticket was for travel with up to six others in a reserved couchette cabin.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
While reluctant to leave his family and friends, he’s applied to faculty positions in Canada and France.—
Christina Larson,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2025
-
Even if Merz—whose coalition partner, the Social Democrats, is notoriously reluctant to fully commit to defense—can’t keep all of his promises, Germany will be a different kind of military player within a few years.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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The secretive base is important to Washington’s interests, giving it a significant military presence in the Indian Ocean.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
22 May 2025
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He’s investigated the hidden offshore wealth of Russian oligarchs, billions of dollars in assets held offshore by a member of the Adani family and the Adani Group, and the maze of corporate structures and secretive inner circle of crypto giant Binance.—
Giacomo Tognini,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
An all-out self-deprecating ad could be warranted if the goal is to simply raise brand awareness, while a more restrained approach might be needed to avoid distraction if an ad includes technical details about a new product.—
Anton Naianzin,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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Plus, How to Use It In Your Home For pattern, using a rug with an oversized, neutral pattern keeps within a restrained palette but still creates visual interest.—
Eleni N. Gage,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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While some organizations are understandably hesitant to abandon on-premises infrastructure entirely due to concerns over security, regulatory compliance, and data control, the reality is that maintaining an AI-ready on-premises data center often proves cost-prohibitive and operationally unfeasible.—
Ivo Ivanov,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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That prospect has left a number of moderate and vulnerable Republicans hesitant to cut a program that covers their constituents and risk facing political backlash in next year’s elections.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Until this point, Gilgeous-Alexander has displayed a quiet form of leadership during his NBA career.—
Mark LaSota,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, Illinois Set in the quiet prairie lands south of Chicago, this cemetery is one of the largest in the Midwest.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
22 May 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
Cite this Entry
“Reticent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reticent. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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