reclusive

adjective

re·​clu·​sive ri-ˈklü-siv 

-ziv

1

: seeking solitude : retiring from society

a reclusive neighbor

While Stephen King is far from reclusive, he doesn't spend much time promoting his horror-filled novels.

—Sarah Lyall

2

: marked by seclusion or retirement : solitary

… sit under the reclusive calm of the acacia tree.

—H. E. Bates

reclusively adverb

reclusiveness noun

Examples of reclusive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wilson has seven children — two, Carnie and Wendy Wilson — with first wife Marilyn Rovell and five with Melinda. Brian, who was divorced from Rovell in 1979 and had been reclusive for years, met and dated Melinda Ledbetter on and off from 1986 to 1989. —Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2024

See reclusive Michael Richards reunite with Jerry Seinfeld on first red carpet in 9 years Seinfeld also bemoaned comedians who overshare about their personal lives on podcasts. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 May 2024

In recent years, chatter on the ground in Park City said that in a post-pandemic world, reclusive millionaires and hardcore skiers are tired of the annual Hollywood shuffle the town has to endure. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024

Inspired by the book of the same name, the Apple Originals film stars Bryce Dallas Howard as Elly Conway, a reclusive novelist behind a series of best-selling books about the fictional super spy Argylle (Henry Cavill). —Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024

After Chester's death in 1970, Marjorie became reclusive and was known by neighbors for strange behavior that included odd religious rituals, talking to birds and shouting racial slurs. —Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Feb. 2024

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. —Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024

Stewart plays Lou, a reclusive gym manager who falls hard for O'Brian's Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Las Vegas in pursuit of her athletic dreams. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2023

Carlson himself appeared to acknowledge the challenges of interviewing an increasingly reclusive autocrat with a 24-year history of dodging questions and dominating interviews. —Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 2