secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krə-tiv 

si-ˈkrē-

: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun

Synonyms of secretive

• silent
• quiet
• close
• reticent
• uncommunicative
• closemouthed
• dark

Choose the Right Synonym for secretive

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking.

silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.

the secretive research and development division

Examples of secretive in a Sentence

He's very secretive about his work.

the intelligence agency remained secretive despite the media's demands for more openness in government

Recent Examples on the Web

Icke uses his formidable talent for imaginative, dynamic, multimedia staging to manifest the act of surveillance — inherently secretive, out of sight — into something extremely tangible. — Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026

But much about Starshield is secretive, with its finances not revealed and launches often classified. — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the loser in Brazil’s presidential elections Sunday, arrived in Miami on Wednesday after fleeing his home country in a secretive mission that has drawn speculation and controversy. — Florencia Cabral, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

Even the most mind-bending of three-hour documentaries doesn’t have enough time to fully tackle the quagmire that was the secretive biotech startup. — Victoria Song, The Verge, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from secretiveness, partial translation of French secrétivité

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krət-iv 

si-ˈkrēt-

: having a tendency toward secrecy and concealment : not frank or open

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun