as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
a buttoned-up colleague who had no interest in talking about anything but work, even at parties
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Recent Examples of buttoned-up
Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
Use it as a layering piece or wear it buttoned-up on its own.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024
The Bottom Line The era of buttoned-up, corporate talk is over.
—Lindsey Groepper, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Based on Nick Payne’s screenplay, the nonlinear love story follows the buttoned-up Tobias (Garfield) and the spunky Almut (Florence Pugh) over the course of a decade-long relationship that is, suffice it to say, filled with both high highs and extremely low lows.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2024
The button-down shirt Pop the collar, roll up the sleeves, wear it loose or completely buttoned-up—a relaxed button-down shirt is an easygoing layer that adds instant polish to jeans and sequin skirts.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 9 Aug. 2024
Lawyer shows are usually buttoned-up and serious, but this show was as focused on office gossip and the characters' personal lives as the details of their legal cases.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 17 July 2024
In Funny Story, buttoned-up Daphne loves her relationship with her fiancé Peter.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2024
At that time, everything was very buttoned-up and safe in theater.
—Nicole Acheampong, New York Times, 26 June 2024
Adjective
Compared with Sanchez’s getup, the buttoned-up Adam Lippes coat and wide-brimmed Eric Javits hat worn by Melania Trump to the Inauguration were tasteful, even demure.
—Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
Use it as a layering piece or wear it buttoned-up on its own.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2024
The Bottom Line The era of buttoned-up, corporate talk is over.
—Lindsey Groepper, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Based on Nick Payne’s screenplay, the nonlinear love story follows the buttoned-up Tobias (Garfield) and the spunky Almut (Florence Pugh) over the course of a decade-long relationship that is, suffice it to say, filled with both high highs and extremely low lows.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2024
The button-down shirt Pop the collar, roll up the sleeves, wear it loose or completely buttoned-up—a relaxed button-down shirt is an easygoing layer that adds instant polish to jeans and sequin skirts.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 9 Aug. 2024
Lawyer shows are usually buttoned-up and serious, but this show was as focused on office gossip and the characters' personal lives as the details of their legal cases.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 17 July 2024
In Funny Story, buttoned-up Daphne loves her relationship with her fiancé Peter.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2024
At that time, everything was very buttoned-up and safe in theater.
—Nicole Acheampong, New York Times, 26 June 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buttoned-up
Adjective
-
The film seems to comment on the evolution of communication—from a love of language to a more detached, modern form of communication.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
-
The wood fence enclosing the yard is new, and a detached garage has a workshop and holds one car.—
Angela Serratore,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
No problem Remember when adventure seemed like a distant memory?—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Resembling a distant cousin to the truffula tree in Seussical botany, this shaft of sturdy stem with intermittent globes of golden treats is a pollinator’s dream.—
New York Times Games,
New York Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This will act to push colder air back into portions of the Lower 48 states.—
Doyle Rice,
USA TODAY,
23 Feb. 2025
-
First Alert Weather Day in effect across North Texas due to dangerous cold Cowboys' Zack Martin announces retirement after 11-year career With 3 superintendents in 3 years, what's next for Keller ISD?—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The children who would have traded their own existence for a cooler planet have already been born.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The Oscars are your beloved but slightly uptight grandma; the Golden Globes are your fun cousin who sometimes gets a little too sloppy at parties, and the SAG Awards are your cool young aunt who knows how to have a good time but always keeps it classy.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Universities and businesses can collaborate with property management companies to offer housing stipends or reserved spots for international students.—
Botir Nasridinov,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
There’s a reserved spot in hell for the s*** stains pursuing this vile campaign to erase trans people.—
Andrew Sheeler,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to buttoned-up
Cite this Entry
“Buttoned-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buttoned-up. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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