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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Recent Examples of buttoned-up
Malia Griggs, Glamour, 20 Jan. 2026
For ages, London's culinary reputation—perhaps best defined by fish and chips at neighborhood pubs, (excellent) curry shops, and buttoned-up afternoon teas—seemed to lag behind global counterparts like Paris and Tokyo.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 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
Front-of-house is equally as buttoned-up as the behind-the-scenes service; warm concierge greet you at the entrance and speedy housekeeping services seem to instinctively know when to swoop in for their twice-daily visits (both cleaning and turn-down) in order to remain unseen.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
Trevor Rosen wore a traditional black suit and Brad Tursi wore a buttoned-up black jacket and dress pants.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Nov. 2025
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
And other CEOs don’t like their meetings to be so buttoned-up, just like Faulkner.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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
For ages, London's culinary reputation—perhaps best defined by fish and chips at neighborhood pubs, (excellent) curry shops, and buttoned-up afternoon teas—seemed to lag behind global counterparts like Paris and Tokyo.
—Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 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
Front-of-house is equally as buttoned-up as the behind-the-scenes service; warm concierge greet you at the entrance and speedy housekeeping services seem to instinctively know when to swoop in for their twice-daily visits (both cleaning and turn-down) in order to remain unseen.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
Trevor Rosen wore a traditional black suit and Brad Tursi wore a buttoned-up black jacket and dress pants.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Nov. 2025
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
And other CEOs don’t like their meetings to be so buttoned-up, just like Faulkner.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttoned-up
Adjective
-
Senate Bill 1277 would cut text limiting what counts as an ADU, essentially allowing detached ADUs with the same consideration as apartments inside a home.—
Mark Dee,
Idaho Statesman,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Yes, all of these songs coast primarily on vibes—Joji’s delivery remains detached and clinical throughout—but at least the vibes are compelling.—
Mehan Jayasuriya,
Pitchfork,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Genealogy investigations have had major success stories Successfully using the DNA of distant family members to profile and narrow down suspects had an extraordinarily high-profile debut in 2018, when it was used to solve the cold case of the Golden State Killer.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The oldest American woman to compete in the women’s singles event in nearly a century now sits in a distant 13th place ahead of the 4-minute free skate on Thursday night.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Gophers and Ducks were both ice cold in the first half, with the U holding an unsightly 22-13 lead.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The Antarctic Ocean is heavily layered, or stratified, to a depth of around 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) because of conflicting properties including colder, denser water from below not readily mixing with fresh water running off melting ice from above.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The backstory The 34-year-old hotel is amid years-long renovations, ensuring this old favorite stays relevant and cool.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
This New York Fashion Week, Anna Sui's show brought together a nostalgic, indie-cool twist on boho chic.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Top each lettuce half with 2 tablespoons burnt garlic Caesar dressing and sprinkle with reserved bread crumbs, divided between plates.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Top everything with the reserved 2/3 cup of cheese.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttoned-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttoned-up. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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