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

Harbinger is an alien presence on a secretive but dire mission, and he’s being hunted down by Assassin, a killer trying to prevent Harbinger from completing his quest. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's protective guard inadvertently gave away their presence at a number of secretive facilities over several years, providing hints of the whereabouts of the Kremlin leader in what could be a significant security breach, a new investigation found. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024

The militant wings of Hamas and other groups are highly secretive, their members virtually unknown outside of intelligence agencies. —Joseph Krauss, Julia Frankel, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024

The year the story is set in remains ambiguous, and Davies and Berger wanted to show how the secretive and intriguing world of the conclave has developed over the years. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 26 Oct. 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