as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
a buttoned-up colleague who had no interest in talking about anything but work, even at parties
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of buttoned-up
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Aidala is folksy, while Agnifilo is more buttoned-up.
—
ABC News,
13 Apr. 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
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
The new offering, however, seems more buttoned-up.
—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 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 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
Cowley was more buttoned-up and shrewd about getting on in the world.
—
Vince Passaro,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Angela Rayner Starmer is often criticized for being buttoned-up and lawyerly.
—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Aidala is folksy, while Agnifilo is more buttoned-up.
—
ABC News,
13 Apr. 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
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
The new offering, however, seems more buttoned-up.
—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 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 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
Cowley was more buttoned-up and shrewd about getting on in the world.
—
Vince Passaro,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttoned-up
Adjective
-
They got approved for a mortgage on a £150,000 (about $198,441) two-bedroom, semi-detached house in Seaham, England.
-
Olise has purposefully cultivated a kind of detached non-persona.
Adjective
-
Assemblymember Alex Bores, had 35%, followed by Schlossberg, who trailed in a distant third with less than 11%.
-
Wet paint auctions feel like a distant memory, with frivolous, speculative art buying, especially from 2020 to 2022, now being passé.
Adjective
-
To prevent that, some operators maintain low oil flow rates, akin to dripping a faucet in freezing cold weather to avoid frozen pipes.
-
Aging And The Long Game Of Leadership The conversation around aging often centers on biohackers seeking to lower their biological age through cold plunges, red light therapy, and peptides.
Adjective
-
This cool, cosmopolitan hotel is within walking distance of Bend’s best restaurants, shops, and the Deschutes River, and was named one of the best in the country by Tripadvisor users in 2025.
-
The fermentation is slow and cool to protect the aromas.
Adjective
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While Kafka is a bit more of a reserved personality, he’s been described as a coach who’s personable and can work with anyone.
-
Even in recordings from the ’90s, Alfa displays a reserved but expressive personality, and a talent for fusing disparate sounds fluidly together.
Cite this Entry
“Buttoned-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttoned-up. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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