tacit

adjective

tac·​it ˈta-sət How to pronounce tacit (audio)
1
: expressed or carried on without words or speech
the blush was a tacit answerBram Stoker
2
: implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed
tacit consent
tacit admission of guilt
tacitly adverb
tacitness noun

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now—he or she is never really in society; a temporary visa is issued with the tacit stipulation that it will be withdrawn and access denied if confidences are betrayed.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.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
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 

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French tacite, from Latin tacitus silent, from past participle of tacēre to be silent; akin to Old High German dagēn to be silent

First Known Use

circa 1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tacit was circa 1650

Dictionary Entries Near tacit

Cite this Entry

“Tacit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tacit. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

tacit

adjective
tac·​it ˈtas-ət How to pronounce tacit (audio)
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 How to pronounce tacit (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tacit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!