as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
the intelligence agency remained secretive despite the media's demands for more openness in government
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in secrecy
the practice or habit of keeping secrets or keeping one's affairs secret
his secretiveness about his past always made some people suspicious of what he might be hiding
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of secretive
Francesca Gariano, People.com, 17 June 2025
This aggressive species catches wind of something called Project Titan, an enormous spaceship with an even bigger, secretive purpose, and decides that Earthlings pose a threat that must be exterminated.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 June 2025
Two security officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss the highly secretive missions.
—Shane Croucher
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
After he was elected, following two days of secretive deliberation, the memes came swiftly.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for secretive
Adjective
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in April 2018, after the show’s finale, Malina reflected on the secretive nature of the show to protect plot points.
—Francesca Gariano, People.com, 17 June 2025
This aggressive species catches wind of something called Project Titan, an enormous spaceship with an even bigger, secretive purpose, and decides that Earthlings pose a threat that must be exterminated.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 June 2025
Two security officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss the highly secretive missions.
—Shane Croucher
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
After he was elected, following two days of secretive deliberation, the memes came swiftly.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for secretive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secretive
Adjective
-
The silent standoff between the two dogs quickly gained traction online, racking up more than 257,000 likes and over 2.3 million views.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
-
Occidental Studios, which dates back to 1913, was once used by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to make silent films.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
But the answer to bureaucratic inefficiency is not secrecy and self-regulation.—
Marcus Friedman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 June 2025
-
Their nuptials have been the subject of speculation and intense secrecy ever since.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Without it, people go quiet, engagement drops and growth stalls.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Young visitors will enjoy the splash pad and water slide, while guests ages 18 and older are welcome to relax in the quiet adults-only pool and hot tub.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
-
Bacon has served Nebraska in Congress since 2017, winning multiple competitive races in the state's 2nd Congressional District, an area that has seen increasingly close contests between Republicans and Democrats in recent election cycles.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Harry and Meghan have always been reticent to let the public get a proper look at their children (Harry, especially, is not a fan of invasive press, being the son of Princess Diana and all), so this is maybe a compromise?—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
16 June 2025
-
State and local officials were reticent to weigh in on what the mortgage sale could mean for the Fiserv deal.—
Taylor O’Connor,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Some supporters felt their club had become too corporate, too cold and too uncommunicative.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
The Athletic,
20 Dec. 2024
-
Often, a less qualified candidate who displays high energy and eagerness can outshine a more qualified individual who appears disinterested and uncommunicative.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes,
25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
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
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Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
25 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
My challenge was to make the sequel scarier, and darker.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Executive Chef Graham House and Chef de Cuisine Graham House of Luminosa in Asheville, NC, recommend using a whole roast chicken, both dark and white meat, but placing half of it in the food processor before hand shredding the remaining bits for texture.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Secretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secretive. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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