buttoned-up
adjective
but·toned-up
ˈbə-tᵊnd-ˈəp 
: coldly reserved or standoffish
a buttoned-up executive
Examples of buttoned-up in a Sentence
a buttoned-up colleague who had no interest in talking about anything but work, even at parties
Recent Examples on the Web
The fun retro glasses seemed to rebel against gear that was getting as buttoned-up as the world, which has felt a bit heavier and more serious in the last five to ten years.
—
Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
Cowley was more buttoned-up and shrewd about getting on in the world.
—Vince Passaro, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Front-of-house is equally as buttoned-up as the behind-the-scenes service; warm concierge greet you at the entrance and speedy housekeeping services seem to instinctively know when to swoop in for their twice-daily visits (both cleaning and turn-down) in order to remain unseen.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
Trevor Rosen wore a traditional black suit and Brad Tursi wore a buttoned-up black jacket and dress pants.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Nov. 2025
Like a blazer or trousers, there’s something sleek and buttoned-up about what the brand has to offer.
—Barry Samaha, Glamour, 12 Nov. 2025
Around midnight, unofficial results in all of the races and proposals in the county were buttoned-up and showing on the county website.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 8 Nov. 2025
This last one had modern detailing on it too, including an asymmetric, buttoned-up silhouette and tapered trousers.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2025
And other CEOs don’t like their meetings to be so buttoned-up, just like Faulkner.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
Cowley was more buttoned-up and shrewd about getting on in the world.
—Vince Passaro, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Front-of-house is equally as buttoned-up as the behind-the-scenes service; warm concierge greet you at the entrance and speedy housekeeping services seem to instinctively know when to swoop in for their twice-daily visits (both cleaning and turn-down) in order to remain unseen.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
Trevor Rosen wore a traditional black suit and Brad Tursi wore a buttoned-up black jacket and dress pants.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Nov. 2025
Like a blazer or trousers, there’s something sleek and buttoned-up about what the brand has to offer.
—Barry Samaha, Glamour, 12 Nov. 2025
Around midnight, unofficial results in all of the races and proposals in the county were buttoned-up and showing on the county website.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 8 Nov. 2025
This last one had modern detailing on it too, including an asymmetric, buttoned-up silhouette and tapered trousers.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2025
And other CEOs don’t like their meetings to be so buttoned-up, just like Faulkner.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Buttoned-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buttoned-up. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
