1
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
he remained closemouthed about their activities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
-
Republican members also remained silent, with the exception of Chairman Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, who called for the vote.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Behind bars, Jeffs ordered his followers to no longer marry or have children and later became increasingly silent, paving the way for Bateman to assert himself as his heir.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Stir together 1/4 cup of the reserved cola mixture and remaining 1/4 cup bourbon in a small bowl, then brush evenly over warm cake.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
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Through Sapphire Reserve Experiences, cardholders receive special shopping perks and access to a reserved experience located on the second green, featuring premium seating, complimentary refreshments, private restrooms and more.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
King’s plans center around keeping close contact with constituents, revitalizing downtown and residential areas and advancing historic preservation and tourism efforts.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Offer to Saudi crown prince Epstein was introduced to Raafat Al-Sabbagh, a close advisor of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, in 2016 by Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And Lorenzen delivering this stink bomb made the 48,366 in attendance feel as dumb as rocks for braving the cold.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
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Well, dumber isn’t quite right — and is only meant affectionately by Grabinski himself.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And Maya Sofia Enciso has a quieter, more focused, manspreading energy as the brainy, ambitious and secretive Matt.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
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The normally secretive Illuminati attracted attention through their attempts to attend and participate within Masonic temples.—
Derek Arnold,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In contrast, Ionic capitals, which are more restrained, currently grace the columns at the entrance of the White House.—
Kevin D. Murphy,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
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Some had pushed for a slightly more restrained proposal that would have given Democrats the upper hand in nine of the 11 House seats.—
Russell Berman,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Maybe quiet parenting, like quiet quitting and quiet luxury before it, could catch on as a meme among key influencers.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
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Dan Campbell said the quiet part out loud, a bit unprompted, when asked about his confidence level in potentially moving star right tackle Penei Sewell to left tackle.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The league’s senior staff rock up at refs’ meetings occasionally to offer praise in private but are reticent to repeat their kind words publicly.—
Graham Scott,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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The once reticent Lopes also showed leadership qualities as early as 1976, when a throw by new Dodgers outfielder Dusty Baker had missed the cutoff man.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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