- not open or communicative; not saying all that one knows; taciturn; reserved
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ret•i•cent /ˈrɛtəsənt/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- willing or accustomed to be silent;
reserved:was reticent about her private life.
ret•i•cent
(ret′ə sənt),USA pronunciation adj.
ret′i•cence, ret′i•cen•cy, n.
ret′i•cent•ly, adv.
- disposed to be silent or not to speak freely;
reserved. - reluctant or restrained.
- Latin reticent- (stem of reticēns), present participle of reticēre to be silent, equivalent. to re- re- + -tic-, combining form of tacēre to be silent (compare tacit) + -ent- -ent
- 1825–35
ret′i•cent•ly, adv.
- 1. taciturn, quiet, uncommunicative.
- 1. talkative, voluble.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
reticent /ˈrɛtɪsənt/ adj
'reticent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
clam
- close
- reserved
- secretive
- tight-lipped
- aloof
- closemouthed
- cozy
- dark
- garrulous
- taciturn
- taciturnity
- uncommunicative
- unobtrusive
- withdrawn
- secret
- silent