recluse 1 of 2

as in hermit
a person who lives away from others he was sick of cities and crowds, so he decided to go live by himself in the woods as a recluse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

recluse

2 of 2

adjective

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of recluse
Noun
Since the band broke up in 2011, Meg White, its drummer, has become one the great recluses of 21st-century pop, rarely seen in public and declining all interview requests — which would make any possible appearance by her a major coup for the Rock Hall. Ben Sisario, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 In his report, Adams found no evidence to suggest that the two-time Oscar winner spent his final years as a recluse in his home in a gated community, guarded by his protective younger second wife. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2025 The recluse of 30 years comes out of hibernation and emerges with a new album that fires up more brain-dead devotion and fawning. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025 The other is a recluse who lives elsewhere and publishes word and number puzzles under the pen name Ludwig. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recluse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recluse
Noun
  • Nicolas Cage plays a grizzled, mournful hermit named Rob who lives in the woods of the Pacific Northwest and spends his days hunting truffles with his pig, Apple, and then trading them to big-city buyer Amir (Alex Wolff).
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 May 2025
  • The meditative documentary, which premiered in competition at last year’s Locarno Film Festival, follows Jake Williams, a modern-day hermit living in Scotland’s remote Highlands.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Warner, who is known for being reclusive, was at home at the time of the attack but not harmed.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 28 May 2025
  • She’s unexpectedly recruited by the brilliant but reclusive Fujitani to join Tenblank, where their rise to fame is complicated by personal secrets and industry challenges.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • Ask Amy: My unsociable neighbor doesn't know about me and his wife.
    Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 2 June 2024
  • To drink too much would be inexcusable; to drink too little would be unsociable.
    Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Recluse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recluse. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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