secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krə-tiv 

si-ˈkrē-

: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun

Synonyms

• silent
• quiet
• close
• reticent
• uncommunicative
• closemouthed
• dark

Choose the Right Synonym for secretive

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking.

silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.

the secretive research and development division

Examples of secretive in a Sentence

He's very secretive about his work.

the intelligence agency remained secretive despite the media's demands for more openness in government

Recent Examples on the Web

However, secretive and unregulated practices by PBMs, which are heavily consolidated, have led to a chorus of drug manufacturers, pharmacists, and government regulators calling for more oversight. —Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2025

North Korea has kept celebratory plans for the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Friday tightly under wraps – much like the secretive and isolated state has done in the past with significant dates. —Helen Regan, CNN Money, 9 Oct. 2025

Starting in 1910, the company served as the secretive supplier to the commandos of the Italian Navy, starting out crafting precision instruments such as gun sights and luminescent compasses before creating its first watches in 1935. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2025

Arbitration is a secretive process often favored by companies. —Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from secretiveness, partial translation of French secrétivité

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krət-iv 

si-ˈkrēt-

: having a tendency toward secrecy and concealment : not frank or open

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun