1
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
he remained closemouthed about their activities
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
encourage the closemouthed children to speak up and not be shy
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Recent Examples of closemouthed
There’s also the closemouthed, menacing technician who lives on a houseboat and raises snakes; the actress first hired for the show’s leading part who dropped out of the role before shooting began; and the unknown burglar who fled the frightened player’s house.
—
Tom Nolan, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022
Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2021
Ever since the couple pulled up stakes and moved away from the United Kingdom in March, their new spokespeople have been even more closemouthed.
—Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
Led by Vice President Temer, whose cryptic, closemouthed demeanor has his rivals comparing him to a butler in a horror movie, the centrists anchoring Ms. Rousseff’s coalition broke away last week.
—Simon Romero, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
Tom Nolan, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022
Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2021
Ever since the couple pulled up stakes and moved away from the United Kingdom in March, their new spokespeople have been even more closemouthed.
—Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
Led by Vice President Temer, whose cryptic, closemouthed demeanor has his rivals comparing him to a butler in a horror movie, the centrists anchoring Ms. Rousseff’s coalition broke away last week.
—Simon Romero, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closemouthed
Adjective
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That conversational access to the fine print not only saves keystrokes, but also reduces miscommunication, which is often the silent culprit behind change-order disputes and blown budgets.—
Jon Stojan,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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And the whole class is just silent.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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James logged 19 minutes off the bench, which was the second-most for a Hornets’ reserved.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Oct. 2025
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Using the fourth small reserved piece of dough, divide and make 3 balls the size of a key lime and 3 logs 1-inch across, then equally divide the rest of the dough into 3 balls about the size of a small plum, about 2½ inches around.—
Jason Mastrodonato,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Royal expert and author Christopher Andersen said Princess Anne, who has been a close confidant and advisor to her brother Charles for a while, was likely involved in the decision.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
21 Oct. 2025
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Let’s take a closer look at the best mowing height and timing to prepare your lawn for the cold ahead.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And that’s a stupid, dumb, mindless question.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
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On TikTok, as The Washington Post has reported, some creators are making $5,000 a month using AI tools to write scripts and animate extremely dumb viral videos where old men talk about soiling themselves.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Padilla, the son of immigrants from Mexico, has for months been urging immigration agents to be more transparent, to drop any masks and to be less secretive.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
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Meanwhile, eight days after Apple postponed The Savant, FBI director Kash Patel shuttered the very real (though, secretive) program — a partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) — on which the series (and the Cosmopolitan story) is based.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The same restrained values of democracy have always marked the White House—a stately house, but not an imperial one.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
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Cooper—director of pictures like Crazy Heart, Hostiles, and most recently The Pale Blue Eye—makes sure the proceedings are always restrained and respectful.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Where to stay On a quiet side street in the Latin Quarter, near the Jardin des Plantes and a 30-minute stroll from the catacombs is the Le Jardin de Verre by Locke, which opened in March 2025.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
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Meloni told the Saturday Night Live star to remain quiet as he FaceTimed Hargitay, who was en route to Poehler’s podcast.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The business is, and has always been, a dodgy boondoggle; not for nothing were the old-money WASPs at the East Coast banks reticent to put capital behind fledgling Hollywood.—
Nick Pinkerton,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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His first foray into retail for the brand was a pop-up in London in 2008, and many British customers were reticent about the price point, even though the product was wholly made in England.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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