1
: expressed or carried on without words or speech
the blush was a tacit answer—
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker2
: implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed
tacit consent
tacit admission of guilt
tacitly
adverb
tacitness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of tacit in a Sentence
While they got a frosty public response, officials say the private message was a tacit green light.
—Mark Thompson, Time, 16 Nov. 1998
Magic requires tacit cooperation of the audience with the magician—an abandonment of skepticism … the willing suspension of disbelief.
—Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
What a writer must always remember, however, is that with rare exceptions—Edith Wharton then, Louis Auchincloss now—he or she is never really in society; a temporary visa is issued with the tacit stipulation that it will be withdrawn and access denied if confidences are betrayed.
—John Gregory Dunne, Harp, 1989
Myself, I like to play the field and see what happens, but there are certain tacit rules: do not mix freshwater fish with those from the sea; do not mix coarse fat fish with delicate ones …
—M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
She felt that she had her parents' tacit approval to borrow the car.
There was a tacit agreement that he would pay off the loan.
Mark Thompson, Time, 16 Nov. 1998
Magic requires tacit cooperation of the audience with the magician—an abandonment of skepticism … the willing suspension of disbelief.
—Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
What a writer must always remember, however, is that with rare exceptions—Edith Wharton then, Louis Auchincloss now—he or she is never really in society; a temporary visa is issued with the tacit stipulation that it will be withdrawn and access denied if confidences are betrayed.
—John Gregory Dunne, Harp, 1989
Myself, I like to play the field and see what happens, but there are certain tacit rules: do not mix freshwater fish with those from the sea; do not mix coarse fat fish with delicate ones …
—M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
She felt that she had her parents' tacit approval to borrow the car.
There was a tacit agreement that he would pay off the loan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Many in Trump’s camp have advocated strongly against intervention in Syria, with some even urging tacit or direct support for Assad as a bulwark against terrorism.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Dec. 2024
The letter Blinken and Austin sent constituted a formal, if tacit, acknowledgment of Israel’s direct responsibility for the unconscionable conditions in Gaza.
—Jeremy Konyndyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2024
Not just polite smiles, tacit acceptances of paparazzi attention, but broad, knowing smiles, teeth visible, eyes crinkling.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024
Jassy wrote tacit acknowledgements of a fraying corporate cultureas recently detailed
on LinkedIn@delreyX
Sign up here.
—Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tacit 
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.
Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Dec. 2024
The letter Blinken and Austin sent constituted a formal, if tacit, acknowledgment of Israel’s direct responsibility for the unconscionable conditions in Gaza.
—Jeremy Konyndyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2024
Not just polite smiles, tacit acceptances of paparazzi attention, but broad, knowing smiles, teeth visible, eyes crinkling.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024
Jassy wrote tacit acknowledgements of a fraying corporate cultureas recently detailed
on LinkedIn@delreyX
Sign up here.
—Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tacit
Articles Related to tacit
Dictionary Entries Near tacit
Cite this Entry
“Tacit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tacit. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tacit
adjective
tac·it
ˈtas-ət 
1
: expressed without words or speech
2
: understood or made known (as by an act or by silence) though not actually expressed
tacit approval
tacitly
adverb
tacitness
noun
Legal Definition
tacit
adjective
tac·it
ˈta-sət
1
: implied (as by an act or by silence) rather than express
a tacit admission
2
in the civil law of Louisiana
: arising by operation of law
a tacit mortgage
tacitly
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share