secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krə-tiv 

si-ˈkrē-

: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun

Synonyms

• close
• closemouthed
• dark
• reticent
• tight-mouthed
• uncommunicative

Choose the Right Synonym for secretive

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking.

silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

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

Examples of secretive in a Sentence

He's very secretive about his work.

the intelligence agency remained secretive despite the media's demands for more openness in government

Recent Examples on the Web

Nobody on the outside knows exactly how OpenAI makes its chatbot technology, and o1 is its most secretive release yet. —Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024

Marking Berger’s follow-up to Netflix Oscar winner All Quiet on The Western Front, Conclave follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events — selecting the new pope. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024

The plan was so secretive that even after the war ended, the members of the ghost army were sworn to secrecy. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024

Fraudsters may demonstrate defensive or secretive behavior, becoming unusually protective of their work, refusing to share information or insisting on handling tasks alone and avoiding audits or reviews of their work. —James Henderson, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from secretiveness, partial translation of French secrétivité

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

secretive

adjective

se·​cre·​tive ˈsē-krət-iv 

si-ˈkrēt-

: having a tendency toward secrecy and concealment : not frank or open

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun