Definition of taciturnnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word taciturn distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of taciturn are reserved, reticent, secretive, and silent. While all these words mean "showing restraint in speaking," taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

When would reserved be a good substitute for taciturn?

The synonyms reserved and taciturn are sometimes interchangeable, but reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

When could reticent be used to replace taciturn?

The words reticent and taciturn can be used in similar contexts, but reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

Where would secretive be a reasonable alternative to taciturn?

Although the words secretive and taciturn have much in common, secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.

the secretive research and development division

When is it sensible to use silent instead of taciturn?

The words silent and taciturn are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

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 taciturn Among the supporting roles, Michele Morrone is the Winchesters’ taciturn Italian groundskeeper Enzo, who has a much more important part to play in the book. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025 The show starts, as many anime romances do, with a childhood friendship, here between the chaotic witch-in-training Nico and the taciturn ogre Morihito. Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025 The beauty and terror of the landscape says more than the taciturn locals could ever hope or want to explain, and temporal loops lead our heroines not just astray, but on an existential journey. Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025 While Karen and her famously taciturn husband Ted (Joe Chrest) survive, no one is by any means out of the woods yet. Dan Heching, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for taciturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taciturn
Adjective
  • And then there's Reinhardt's sinister robot sidekick Maximilian, a silent, malevolent presence who has no qualms about slicing up humans with his Swiss Army Knife-esque collection of torture devices.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Feb. 2026
  • For those asking whether the Heat would prioritize minutes for its young players after Thursday’s silent trade deadline, 19-year-old guard Kasparas Jakucionis did not play on Friday despite being healthy and in uniform.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Seconds later, there was our reserved little boy, jumping his heart out next to a group of six-foot-something Maasai warriors.
    Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Together, the three developments will bring 378 apartments to Nampa, nearly all reserved for tenants earning 60% or less of the Boise metro’s area median income.
    Darin Oswald, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • And then quite a bit of dumb bits, like really dumb bits.
    Eric Ducker, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The multi-vehicle pile-up that ensues might go even dumber than a Rusko drop, yet there’s no escaping the anxiety that remains in the static hiss that closes the track.
    James Gui, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • On the street, the Mazda3 hatchback carries itself with a restrained yet purposeful elegance.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Arnold’s Heathcliff is much more fully developed as a character, in part due to the more restrained performances and Arnold’s highly sensory style.
    Cazzie David, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Taciturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taciturn. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

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