Word of the Day

: August 9, 2023

reticent

adjective RET-uh-sunt

What It Means

Reticent is often used as a synonym of reserved to describe someone who does not readily or openly talk to others. Despite objections from some, reticent is also often used as a synonym of reluctant.

// She is reticent about discussing her personal business with anyone.

// Despite claims of openness, the organization has always been reticent to disclose even the most basic information about its internal operations.

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reticent in Context

“Having long harbored ambitions to produce and direct, [Eva] Longoria decided it was time to pivot. But the same industry that was ready to program her into its fall lineup was more reticent to put her behind the camera for one of its series.” — Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 June 2023

Did You Know?

We hate to break it to the language sticklers among us, but use of reticent as a synonym of reluctant—though it veers away from the word’s Latin origins in the verb reticēre, meaning “to keep silent”—is well established, and there is no reason to be reticent about employing it. In fact, reticent took on its “reluctant” sense a mere 50 years after first appearing in English in the early 19th century with the meaning “inclined to be silent or uncommunicative.” Though brows may furrow and lips may purse, the development of reticent’s newer meaning has some logic to it: English speakers first used reticent synonymously with reluctant when the context was speech, as in “he was reticent to talk about his past,” keeping the word close to its “silent” beginnings. Eventually, however, exclusive association with speech was abandoned, and one can now be reticent to do anything, even if it’s to admit that language is not immutable.