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
The business is, and has always been, a dodgy boondoggle; not for nothing were the old-money WASPs at the East Coast banks reticent to put capital behind fledgling Hollywood.
—
Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
His first foray into retail for the brand was a pop-up in London in 2008, and many British customers were reticent about the price point, even though the product was wholly made in England.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2025
Hunter is understandably reticent to discuss the video’s aftermath, preferring to focus on the singer himself.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
He’s dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 24-of-35 draws, hasn’t been reticent to lower his shoulder (five hits in the season opener) and been an ever-present pest at the top of the crease in the offensive zone.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reticent
Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
His first foray into retail for the brand was a pop-up in London in 2008, and many British customers were reticent about the price point, even though the product was wholly made in England.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2025
Hunter is understandably reticent to discuss the video’s aftermath, preferring to focus on the singer himself.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
He’s dominated in the faceoff circle, winning 24-of-35 draws, hasn’t been reticent to lower his shoulder (five hits in the season opener) and been an ever-present pest at the top of the crease in the offensive zone.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reticent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reticent
Adjective
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But when asked how their organizations actually measure leadership trust, most were silent.—
por John Blakey,
Harvard Business Review,
4 Nov. 2025
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The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Akatsuki mission orbiting Venus was declared dead last week after engineers spent more than a year trying to get in touch with the silent spacecraft.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Whisk in eggs, corn syrup, reserved bourbon, and butter until well combined.—
Kathryn Gregory,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Nov. 2025
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While sales in the US, the world’s biggest market, fell by a more reserved 9%, the drop comes after several recent yearly contractions.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In the aftermath of the collapse against Iowa State, Dykes was reluctant to say the Horned Frogs have a problem closing games.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Nov. 2025
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There are also egos to consider, notes one sales exec, who claims agencies are now reluctant for projects featuring their bigger names to launch without some money committed to paper beforehand.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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However, evidence of their involvement based on their ownership, partnerships, or the often-secretive nature of their locations made clear that at least part of their purpose is weapons-related.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The recent escape of several research monkeys after the truck carrying them overturned on a Mississippi interstate is the latest glimpse into the secretive industry of animal research and the processes that allow key details of what happened to be kept from the public.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Over the next several weeks, Fan was beaten, starved, and restrained.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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Special shout-out to Harper’s performance, which strikes me as a restrained cousin to John Cleese’s turn as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Republicans are hesitant to quit the procedure because Democrats could retake the Senate majority in future elections, and that would give them a bill-passing advantage.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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Haro-Ramos co-authored a study published in 2024 that found many Latinos were hesitant to get vaccinated because of fears about their immigration status, and that experiencing health discrimination like care denials or delays increased their vaccine hesitancy.—
Phillip Reese,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Chicago Bears were relatively quiet ahead of the NFL trade deadline.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Hotel Fasano São Paulo Itaim Consistently top-notch, from the beds to the dining, Hotel Fasano exudes quiet luxury.—
Jade Moyano,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As Legally Blonde's Elle Woods, Witherspoon charted a memorable path from dumb blonde to Harvard Law School graduate.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
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Celebrities fight it out to be eliminated from the competition as quickly as possible to avoid being crowned the nation’s dumbest.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reticent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reticent. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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