introvert

verb in·tro·vert \ ˈin-trə-ˌvərt \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of introvert

transitive verb

: to turn inward or in upon itself: such as

a : to concentrate or direct upon oneself

b : to produce psychological introversion in

Recent Examples of introvert from the Web

Lincecum, introverted by nature, politely declined.

— bob nightengale, USA TODAY, "Tim Lincecum on legacy, loss and identity: 'I realized I care about baseball so much'," 14 Mar. 2018
So help me out, readers - are any of you introverts, like me?

— ellie delano, Woman's Day, "Sometimes I Miss The Married Stuff We Used To Do," 15 July 2014
Surrounded by studio hands including Philadelphia musician Alex G on guitar, Ocean introverted himself to get in the zone.

— eve barlow, Billboard, "Frank Ocean Brings Out Brad Pitt, Covers Stevie Wonder at FYF Fest 2017 in L.A.," 23 July 2017
Obama's so much colder and more restrained than that, so much more ruthlessly calculated and inward-looking, so much more mysteriously introverted even as his rhetoric explodes in flashes of fascinating brilliance.

— stephen marche, Esquire, "The Generation War of This Election — and Beyond," 17 Oct. 2012

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

Origin and Etymology of introvert

intro- + -vert (as in divert)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1669

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

introvert

noun

Definition of introvert

1 : something (such as the retractile proboscis of some worms) that is or can be drawn in especially by invagination

2 : one whose personality is characterized by introversion; especially : a reserved or shy person who enjoys spending time alone

His research further shows that about 70% of top executives are introverts.
—Linda Grant

— compare extrovert

—

introverted

play \ˈin-trə-ˌvər-təd\ adjective

See introvert defined for English-language learners

See introvert defined for kids

Examples of introvert in a Sentence

although interested in the public welfare, he was too much of an introvert to consider personally running for political office

Recent Examples of introvert from the Web

HSPs are sometimes mistaken for introverts, but that’s not always the case; 30 percent of them are extroverts.

— alexia lafata, The Cut, "Everything to Know About the Highly Sensitive Person," 2 May 2018
In the past few years, there’s been a lot of talk about introverts and extroverts, and people often confuse being introverted with being socially anxious.

— angela chen, The Verge, "A psychologist explains how to beat social anxiety," 21 Mar. 2018
Davenport is inherently an introvert -- introspective and creative.

— lindsay h. jones, USA TODAY, "Marcus Davenport had to learn to see his own enormous potential," 27 Mar. 2018
An introvert faking extraversion when needed pushes themselves to become a better version of themselves.

— liz bentley /, NBC News, "People don't change...but they can evolve," 21 Mar. 2018
But those kinds of records were useless for figuring out whether a particular voter was, say, a neurotic introvert, a religious extrovert, a fair-minded liberal or a fan of the occult.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Consultants for Trump misused Facebook data of millions," 18 Mar. 2018
Venus is playing with Adonis, and also perhaps reluctant to surrender herself to a mortal; the proper Dido, as suggested by Piques Eddy, is a deep-feeling introvert who wants all or nothing.

— jim higgins, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Florentine's stories are sad, but the music's refreshing," 27 Jan. 2018
Focus on One-on-One Conversations Networking events that require engaging with large groups are particularly intimidating for introverts.

— dear sam, cleveland.com, "Are you shy and reserved? Follow these networking tips for introverts," 12 Jan. 2018
The thing about architects: Architects are often introverts, Kampa said.

— by tony bizjak, sacbee, "Looking for a cool place to work?," 26 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of introvert

1878

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

introvert Synonyms

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

INTROVERT Defined for English Language Learners

introvert

noun

Definition of introvert for English Language Learners

: a shy person : a quiet person who does not find it easy to talk to other people

Medical Dictionary

introvert

transitive verb in·tro·vert \ ˈin-trə-ˌvərt \

medical Definition of introvert

: to turn inward or in upon itself: as

a : to concentrate or direct upon oneself

b : to produce psychological introversion in

introvert

noun

medical Definition of introvert

: one whose attention and interests are directed toward one's own thoughts and feelings : one whose personality is characterized by introversion; broadly : a reserved or shy person — compare extrovert