as in silent
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
the cabinet official is usually tight-lipped about her private life
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Recent Examples of tight-lipped
Law enforcement authorities and officials in Lake Zurich Unit School District 95 have been tight-lipped over the situation at the high school, home of the Bears.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Over the coming months, the police remained tight-lipped about their investigation, with updates often emerging in tangential court documents.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
As is typical of China, which tends to be tight-lipped about many specifics of its space plans, the nation has not divulged when exactly this flight will take place.
—Andrew Jones, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
All those involved in the Punisher TV event have largely remained tight-lipped over what the actual story specifics entail.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tight-lipped
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Over the coming months, the police remained tight-lipped about their investigation, with updates often emerging in tangential court documents.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
As is typical of China, which tends to be tight-lipped about many specifics of its space plans, the nation has not divulged when exactly this flight will take place.
—Andrew Jones, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
All those involved in the Punisher TV event have largely remained tight-lipped over what the actual story specifics entail.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tight-lipped
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tight-lipped
Adjective
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In its megacities and beyond, traffic is increasingly falling silent, the dull whir of the electric motor replacing the purr of an internal combustion engine.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
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This is where Audible will host events nearly every day this month, including author conversations, trivia, open mics, craft workshops and silent book clubs.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Ted’s a tad reserved and cold in his treatment of Annie.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
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That turn in the national spotlight was in stark contrast to Hughes’ reserved nature.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Does that kind of discourse-friendly success override the fact that Euphoria is too young, too scummy, and too dumb to fit into the usual Emmy pattern?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
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And that’s where things somehow got even dumber After being questioned by security, Beyer reportedly gave a fake name, which prompted them to call police.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Santa Fe burrito is a genuine pleasure—more restrained, built on a smaller scale, with green chile doing the complex, vegetal, low-burning work that other versions might leave to salsa—though, again, the tortilla serves its contents, rather than the hosannas going the other way.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
3 May 2026
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Plus, the more restrained growth of today still comes on top of a much larger business, the Zenith CEO pointed out.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tight-lipped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tight-lipped. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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