as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
the publisher's reticence to make content available online for free
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reticence
Still, the focus on Venezuela could help distract from Putin’s reticence to strike a deal with Ukraine.
—
Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
Navarro’s reticence about his background may have reflected a protectiveness toward his mother, who later remarried and became wealthy enough to give him hundreds of thousands of dollars, which helped fund his political career.
—Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
China’s leaders took the reticence not as a sign of partnership but as a symptom of weakness.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Democrats know Trump’s reticence about Epstein has played into their hands.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reticence
Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
Navarro’s reticence about his background may have reflected a protectiveness toward his mother, who later remarried and became wealthy enough to give him hundreds of thousands of dollars, which helped fund his political career.
—Ian Parker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
China’s leaders took the reticence not as a sign of partnership but as a symptom of weakness.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Democrats know Trump’s reticence about Epstein has played into their hands.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reticence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reticence
reluctance
Noun
-
Besides the reluctance of many people to share their own DNA profile for investigations, the success rate also depends on people’s willingness to have their DNA catalogued at all.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Justine MacNeil, the pastry chef and co-owner of Fiore, also sees that reluctance to change.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Reticence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reticence. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
