tight-lipped

adjective

ˈtīt-ˈlipt 

1

: having the lips closed tight (as in determination)

2

: reluctant to speak : taciturn

Synonyms of tight-lipped

• silent
• reserved
• dumb
• restrained

Examples of tight-lipped in a Sentence

the cabinet official is usually tight-lipped about her private life

Recent Examples on the Web

It's been nearly a month since the longest-serving party leader in the Senate was rushed to a Washington, DC, hospital, yet Mitch McConnell's staff and family members remain tight-lipped about details. — Gabrielle Banks, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Since then, guests have remained mostly tight-lipped about the New York nuptials, presumably under NDA, but Kimberly couldn’t keep the starry details from her sister, Ashley Williams. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026

Additional flights of the Zhuque-3 and Long March 12A are likely to come soon, although the scheduling is murky because of China’s tendency to stay tight-lipped about the specifics of its future plans. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 10 July 2026

But other senior officers have followed Caine’s tight-lipped lead, careful not to seem at odds with their bosses. — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tight-lipped

• eucalypt
• manuscript
• nondescript
• superscript
• chipped
• clipped
• crypt
• dipped
• dripped
• flipped
• gripped
• hipped

Kids Definition

tight-lipped

adjective

-ˈlipt

1

: having the lips closed tight (as in determination)

2

: not liking to speak : taciturn