as in reserved
inclined or tending to avoid other people
The reclusive woman was more than happy to spend her day off reading and writing at home.
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Recent Examples of reclusive
As the story shifts to Birdy, a reclusive woman who inherited the same house months earlier and uncovered a clinic that predicts death dates, their lives collide in a twisting mystery where identity, secrets, and survival hang in the balance.
—
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder star in the film, which tells the story of a torrid romance between a filmmaker tasked with resurrecting a tired horror franchise and its reclusive star.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2026
But the nocturnal and reclusive New Zealand native bird ’s fate is teetering toward survival after an unlikely conservation effort that has coaxed the population from 50 to more than 200 over three decades.
—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Wild Silence follows Camilla, who wakes up in a remote wilderness cabin after being rescued from a suicide attempt by Jack, a reclusive man grieving the loss of his wife.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reclusive
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder star in the film, which tells the story of a torrid romance between a filmmaker tasked with resurrecting a tired horror franchise and its reclusive star.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 2026
But the nocturnal and reclusive New Zealand native bird ’s fate is teetering toward survival after an unlikely conservation effort that has coaxed the population from 50 to more than 200 over three decades.
—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Wild Silence follows Camilla, who wakes up in a remote wilderness cabin after being rescued from a suicide attempt by Jack, a reclusive man grieving the loss of his wife.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reclusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reclusive
Adjective
-
In a bowl, stir together the eggs, cream, half the cheese, cayenne and reserved shrimp mixture until blended.—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Admission is free, but reserved seating is limited.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ride past dry-stone walls, Irish-language signposts, and grid-like limestone fields etched by generations.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
-
This makes these products a true boon for anyone with dry hair, no matter their ancestry.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
By one estimate, fewer than a quarter of the residential areas in many cities allow anything other than detached single-family homes.—
M. Nolan Gray,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But also, the way that the hospice nurses are so compassionate and calm and present, but at the same time detached.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until filling is set and cake is cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Baristas sprinkled shredded phyllo dough over top heaps of cold foam.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The prospect of autonomy remains a distant and fading dream.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Since Iran’s first attacks on the Gulf, the atmosphere in Riyadh has remained calm, with the bombing on neighboring countries feeling like a distant phenomenon.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Murder by Numbers is an entertainingly nasty thriller about two high-schoolers, popular Richard (Gosling) and introverted Justin (Michael Pitt), who plan the perfect murder and frame a local drug dealer for it.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Directed by Lynne Ramsay, the movie follows Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), an introverted loner who rescues women who find themselves in precarious positions.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Parents report that many children stop eating, lose weight and become withdrawn.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Along the way, Babilonia matured from the shy withdrawn child who refused to hold a boy’s hand into a bold, strong and confident woman.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Their smaller counterparts, alpacas, are more timid and shy, but the more independent ones that aren't afraid to be away from the herd do well as therapy animals.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Jerusalem, timid about the prospect of a land invasion, can only respond with more airstrikes until the regime hits its breaking point and the people rise up.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reclusive. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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