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
Sarah Lyall2
: marked by seclusion or retirement : solitary
… sit under the reclusive calm of the acacia tree.—H. E. Bates
H. E. Bates
reclusively
adverb
reclusiveness
noun
Examples of reclusive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Iran’s two major adversaries have thoroughly humiliated it; the regime was not able to hide its reclusive leader for even a few hours.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
Mitski is the writer of these songs, but the speaker is someone else, a reclusive woman who resides in an unkempt house.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
As the story shifts to Birdy, a reclusive woman who inherited the same house months earlier and uncovered a clinic that predicts death dates, their lives collide in a twisting mystery where identity, secrets, and survival hang in the balance.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder star in the film, which tells the story of a torrid romance between a filmmaker tasked with resurrecting a tired horror franchise and its reclusive star.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reclusive
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Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026
Mitski is the writer of these songs, but the speaker is someone else, a reclusive woman who resides in an unkempt house.
—Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
As the story shifts to Birdy, a reclusive woman who inherited the same house months earlier and uncovered a clinic that predicts death dates, their lives collide in a twisting mystery where identity, secrets, and survival hang in the balance.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder star in the film, which tells the story of a torrid romance between a filmmaker tasked with resurrecting a tired horror franchise and its reclusive star.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reclusive
Cite this Entry
“Reclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reclusive. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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