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
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
-
Multiple reports have said Frogmore was two semi-detached homes before Queen Elizabeth gave it to her grandson, Harry, and his bride, Meghan, as a wedding present.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
In contrast to this ribald directness, Kokopeli’s playsets feature characters who appear detached and disconnected.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
The distant rumble of the Central line is a reminder that the real world lurks outside this cosseted haven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Mom got in some distant cousin’s car within twenty minutes of arriving, which wasn’t surprising.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The attentive staff carries complimentary sunscreen, cold towels, and mango juice shots straight to your lounge chair.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
At this point, the coffee that remains in their cups has gone cold, and our time is almost up.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
On a cool Saturday night at UC San Diego, Romero staged a hitting clinic, clubbing a single, double and home run and knocking in two runs to lead Mater Dei Catholic to a 5-3 win over Point Loma to win its second straight Open Division championship.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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Instead, Hargitay proved that Adidas Sambas are still a celeb favorite for a reason, opting for classic white sneakers with electric blue stripes for an effortlessly cool finishing touch.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
A lot of the new arrivals, such as Isak, Mamardashvili and Wirtz, are more quiet and reserved.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
Reduce heat to medium; pour in reserved sauce and cook, stirring often, until liquid is mostly evaporated and spices have started to form a light crust around tofu, about 2 minutes.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buttoned-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttoned-up. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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