How to Use buttoned-up in a Sentence

buttoned-up

adjective
  • Cowley was more buttoned-up and shrewd about getting on in the world.
    — Vince Passaro, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
  • Aidala is folksy, while Agnifilo is more buttoned-up.
    — ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Like a blazer or trousers, there’s something sleek and buttoned-up about what the brand has to offer.
    — Barry Samaha, Glamour, 12 Nov. 2025
  • The new offering, however, seems more buttoned-up.
    — Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
  • And other CEOs don’t like their meetings to be so buttoned-up, just like Faulkner.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The fun retro glasses seemed to rebel against gear that was getting as buttoned-up as the world, which has felt a bit heavier and more serious in the last five to ten years.
    — Lily Ritter, Outside, 14 Jan. 2026
  • There's ample space across two floors—the taproom downstairs is looser, the parlor upstairs a bit more buttoned-up and spirits-oriented.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Elinor is the more buttoned-up of the two, always following the rules and taking on more of a maternal role after the sudden death of their father.
    — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Around midnight, unofficial results in all of the races and proposals in the county were buttoned-up and showing on the county website.
    — Christina Hall, Freep.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Angela Rayner Starmer is often criticized for being buttoned-up and lawyerly.
    — Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
  • Amazon has plenty of excellent work dresses that feel buttoned-up without being boring—and that are suitable for a range of office environments.
    — Malia Griggs, Glamour, 20 Jan. 2026
  • The button-down shirt Pop the collar, roll up the sleeves, wear it loose or completely buttoned-up—a relaxed button-down shirt is an easygoing layer that adds instant polish to jeans and full skirts.
    — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2025
  • The service Casually buttoned-up and (like many other things at this property) classic New York, with concierge and servers always ready to lend a hand—but without fussing over anything.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Prince George’s style was more buttoned-up, with the young royal photographed in suited attire — a contrast to his 12th birthday post from his parents featuring Prince George in outdoorsy attire.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Raquel Welch brought her signature va-va-voom and fashion-forward style to the Oscars, with low necklines, high slits, and daring silhouettes, during a time when the ceremony dress code was much more (literally) buttoned-up.
    — Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Butlers, once portrayed as buttoned-up, silver tray-carrying domestics, now manage complex staff, technology, security and logistics across multiple properties.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 10 July 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buttoned-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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