reclusive

adjective

re·​clu·​sive ri-ˈklü-siv How to pronounce reclusive (audio)
-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
2
: marked by seclusion or retirement : solitary
… sit under the reclusive calm of the acacia tree.H. E. Bates
reclusively adverb
reclusiveness noun

Examples of reclusive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Leprino, the world’s largest mozzarella maker, has undergone a transformation after the death of reclusive billionaire and former chairman and CEO James Leprino. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 The Father story, for instance, stars longtime Jarmusch favorite Tom Waits as a reclusive dad, living somewhere in the northeast United States, who’s visited by his grown children, played by Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025 The series follows a reclusive author (Danes) who becomes obsessed with her new neighbour (Rhys), a real estate mogul who was once the lead suspect in his wife’s disappearance. Lucy Ford, Time, 28 Aug. 2025 The film follows reclusive novelist Ohm Bauman (Scott), who retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, but the staff’s tales of an ancient witch haunting the honeymoon suite take hold of his mind. Justin Kroll, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reclusive

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of reclusive was in 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Reclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reclusive. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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