1
as in silent
deliberately refraining from speech
the child was uncommunicative and unhelpful to school investigators
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in secretive
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
intelligence agencies must be uncommunicative about their operations if they are to be at all effective
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
resigned to the fact that her husband was always going to be an uncommunicative partner
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uncommunicative
Dysfunctional families can look many different ways, but typically are controlling, secretive, neglectful, and uncommunicative.
—
Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
Her high-school senior daughter Josie (Chloe East) is terse and uncommunicative with her, angry about how much space her mother’s drama has taken up in everyone else’s life.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Whenever Conrad was at his most uncommunicative and avoidant, Jeremiah was waiting in the wings to offer uncomplicated affection and himbo charm.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Throughout the show, Conrad is forgiven by fans for being uncommunicative and avoidant.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncommunicative
Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
Her high-school senior daughter Josie (Chloe East) is terse and uncommunicative with her, angry about how much space her mother’s drama has taken up in everyone else’s life.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Whenever Conrad was at his most uncommunicative and avoidant, Jeremiah was waiting in the wings to offer uncomplicated affection and himbo charm.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025
Throughout the show, Conrad is forgiven by fans for being uncommunicative and avoidant.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncommunicative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncommunicative
Adjective
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Candidates who challenge the powerful can draw strong but silent support, because there is open fear of reprisals from city officials against those who back any challenger to the people in charge.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
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First, there’s Green Chartreuse, a beguiling and almost hallucinogenically intense combination of 132 secret ingredients, which have been infused and distilled into high-proof alcohol by silent French monks since at least 1764, and probably quite a bit longer than that.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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The report, based on in-depth interviews with single-family office principals and CIOs across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America, captures a generational cold war playing out inside the world’s most secretive financial institutions.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
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In 2012, a political action committee funded by billionaire brothers from Kansas, Charles and David Koch, backed a secretive campaign to remove Lewis and two other justices from the court via a merit retention vote.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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A lot of the new arrivals, such as Isak, Mamardashvili and Wirtz, are more quiet and reserved.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
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Reduce heat to medium; pour in reserved sauce and cook, stirring often, until liquid is mostly evaporated and spices have started to form a light crust around tofu, about 2 minutes.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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His friends, from brother Luigi (Charlie Day) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) veer in a similar direction, somehow coming across less fully formed and three-dimensional than their nearly speechless inspirations from Nintendo‘s flagship franchise.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
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In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
10 Aug. 2023
Adjective
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This is quiet luxury in hotel form.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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And yet art-world institutions—including major museums, schools, commercial galleries, and publishing outlets—have mostly avoided the fawning capitulation of universities and Democrats, simply going quiet in the hope of escaping notice for the next three years.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Nate Bargatze is not a dumb guy.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
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And what is dumber than a fart?—
Derek Lawrence,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Kimiko uttered one word during the season five finale, which signified a return to form for her character, who was mute throughout the first four installments of the series.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2026
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In Indian Princesses, Rodriguez and her director, Miranda Cornell, score silences and moments of mute, physicalized frustration with just as much precision and pathos as the play’s speech, often with more.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The concierge takes responsibility for all the aspects of cross-selling that customer-facing staff may be reticent to undertake, such as conversion tracking and knowing all the key internal contacts.—
Marty Dauer,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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Where the two artists differ is how Avedon imprinted his specific style on his art, while Howard is more reticent to do so.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uncommunicative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncommunicative. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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