secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krə-tiv How to pronounce secretive (audio)
si-ˈkrē-
: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes
secretively adverb
secretiveness noun
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
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.
The secretive base is important to Washington’s interests, giving it a significant military presence in the Indian Ocean. Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 22 May 2025 Rather, there’s a mutually healing trajectory to this strange, secretive summer of playing house, and Petzold observes its gradual onset in fine details of gesture, expression and domestic routine — and its lapses when people fall intermittently out of character. Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 May 2025 He’s investigated the hidden offshore wealth of Russian oligarchs, billions of dollars in assets held offshore by a member of the Adani family and the Adani Group, and the maze of corporate structures and secretive inner circle of crypto giant Binance. Giacomo Tognini, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025 Though her identity is not at first known to Benedict, the woman turns out to be Sophie Baek, a secretive maid with big dreams. Claire Franken, TVLine, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for secretive

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from secretiveness, partial translation of French secrétivité

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secretive was in 1835

Cite this Entry

“Secretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretive. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

secretive

adjective
se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krət-iv How to pronounce secretive (audio)
si-ˈkrēt-
: having a tendency toward secrecy and concealment : not frank or open
secretively adverb
secretiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on secretive

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