discreet

adjective dis·creet \ di-ˈskrēt \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

1 : having or showing discernment or good judgment in conduct and especially in speech : prudent; especially : capable of preserving prudent silence

2 : unpretentious, modest

the warmth and discreet elegance of a civilized home
—Joseph Wechsberg

3 : unobtrusive, unnoticeable

followed at a discreet distance

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discreetly

adverb

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discreetness

noun

See discreet defined for English-language learners

See discreet defined for kids

Examples of discreet in a Sentence

For a couple who wanted a discreet bar between the study and the living room, Quogue, New York, architect Stuart Disston designed a small-scale bar that's hidden behind … doors under the stairs and takes advantage of plumbing in an adjacent powder room. —Sallie Brady, This Old House, January/February 2006
Without the knowledge of the exiled African National Congress leadership, he entered into a discreet dialogue with the South African government—which was reaching a similar conclusion. He later succeeded in convincing suspicious comrades of the need for a negotiated solution. —F. W. De Klerk, Time, 18 Apr. 2005
The New York Stock Exchange, meanwhile, has proposed a rule that would bar a stock-market analyst from talking to newspapers that fail to disclose the analyst's conflicts of interest. Even the C.E.O. of Goldman Sachs, one of Wall Street's most discreet firms, has chimed in … and has extorted his peers to restore "trust in our system." —New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2002
Discreet disclaimers by the tourist board to the effect that "there is no evidence whatever that Prince Vlad Tepes (TSEH-pesh), or Vlad the Impaler, inhabited the castle" do nothing to discourage its notoriety as Dracula's reputed residence. Mythically, at least, this is in fact where he lived—and always will. —Erik Sandberg-Diment, New York Times, 21 June 1998
he was very discreet, only saying what was necessary
with a discreet gesture, she signalled to her husband that she was ready to leave the party

Recent Examples of discreet from the Web

So producer Aaron Spelling’s widow hired California’s oldest — and perhaps most discreet — moving company.

— ronald d. white, latimes.com, "From Sinatra to the Spellings, California's oldest moving company has thrived by remaining discreet," 8 July 2018
And, as an added plus, the storefront was discreet, located below ground level and behind another building.

— lisa prevost, New York Times, "Despite State Blessing, Marijuana Dispensaries Face Local Rancor," 3 July 2018
More discreet changes have also taken place behind the scenes, with Del Conte eliminating certain positions within a crowded athletic department while amplifying others.

— nick moyle, San Antonio Express-News, "Del Conte, UT grinding their way back to the mountaintop," 28 June 2018
However, measuring discreet periods of time (2017, for example) rather than asking whether someone has ever used a ride-hailing app could result in lower numbers.

— rani molla, Recode, "Americans seem to like ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. But it’s hard to say exactly how many use them.," 24 June 2018
Most do not enforce those laws on relatively discreet adults with red Solo cups or beer in a koozie.

— amy s. rosenberg, Philly.com, "Breathalyzers on the beach? Unlike Wildwood, most Shore police aren't wielding them," 31 May 2018
Two senior Hamas officials said discreet talks are under way, through mediators such as Switzerland and Norway, about having the United Nations take the lead in improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

— fares akram, The Christian Science Monitor, "For Gazans, an open border crossing still presents barriers," 25 May 2018
Although bottled water existed even before Louis XIV declared his love for Chateldon (with its discreet, naturally occurring little bubbles), its popularity in the U.S. came later.

— bob morris, Town & Country, "A Users Guide to Bottled Water," 3 May 2018
In more discreet shots, the angle of his camera envelops pedestrians within the city’s métro stops and architecture.

— catie l'heureux, The Cut, "Paris, 1967: Street Photography by a New York Legend," 7 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'discreet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of discreet

Middle English, from Anglo-French discret, from Medieval Latin discretus, from Latin, past participle of discernere to separate, distinguish between — more at discern

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year