1
as in silent
given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge
he remained closemouthed about their activities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reserved
tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)
encourage the closemouthed children to speak up and not be shy
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Recent Examples of closemouthed
There’s also the closemouthed, menacing technician who lives on a houseboat and raises snakes; the actress first hired for the show’s leading part who dropped out of the role before shooting began; and the unknown burglar who fled the frightened player’s house.
—
Tom Nolan, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022
Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2021
Ever since the couple pulled up stakes and moved away from the United Kingdom in March, their new spokespeople have been even more closemouthed.
—Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
By and large, this is a secretive, closemouthed group of individuals who want nothing more than to say little and share even less.
—Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 3 July 2018
Led by Vice President Temer, whose cryptic, closemouthed demeanor has his rivals comparing him to a butler in a horror movie, the centrists anchoring Ms. Rousseff’s coalition broke away last week.
—Simon Romero, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
Tom Nolan, WSJ, 23 Dec. 2022
Hutton’s gaptoothed smile replaced the closemouthed gaze and white eyeliner of Vogue models of the 1960s.
—Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2021
Ever since the couple pulled up stakes and moved away from the United Kingdom in March, their new spokespeople have been even more closemouthed.
—Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2020
By and large, this is a secretive, closemouthed group of individuals who want nothing more than to say little and share even less.
—Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 3 July 2018
Led by Vice President Temer, whose cryptic, closemouthed demeanor has his rivals comparing him to a butler in a horror movie, the centrists anchoring Ms. Rousseff’s coalition broke away last week.
—Simon Romero, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closemouthed
Adjective
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So far, the ESA has been silent on Trump excluding video game consoles from his tariff exemptions.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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The Taliban are also silent on the other restrictions and whether there is any chance of removing them.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Without trust, teams experience: • Communication Breakdowns: Team members become reserved and hesitant to provide feedback or voice concerns.—
Dr. Jennifer Bryant,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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At the start of episode 8, Cara, a reserved 29-year-old In-N-Out worker, had the cash in her box, while her bestie Samantha, a 41-year-old cop pretending to be a stay-at-home mom, had a clue that the secret millionaire was someone with two sisters.—
Jillian Sederholm,
EW.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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There are several international destinations where pickpocketing is extremely common, so having all of my essentials close is a priority.—
Jordyn Burrell,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Apr. 2025
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The six-point halftime margin would be the closest Boise State would be to Nebraska for the rest of the game.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
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Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
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The 10-episode History channel series premieres on Friday, April 4, and reveals the latest evidence behind some of the government’s most secretive and surprising activities that have been declassified throughout history.—
Dana Rose Falcone,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Duchovny presents the latest evidence behind some of the government’s most secretive, strange and mind-blowing activities.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Clean lines, streamlined silhouettes, and restrained details result in impactful simplicity, which is exactly what a minimalist bride aspires for.—
Sarah Zendejas,
Vogue,
6 Apr. 2025
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Frank and vulnerable, her restrained vocal performance is the perfect pairing for Sundae Beats’ lush, ethereal soundscape.—
Christopher Claxton,
Billboard,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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On the final whistle, there was deep quiet inside the Metropolitano.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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The Pentagon has not held a press briefing in weeks, and the Defense Department has been quiet about the ongoing strikes.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Legend in the making: Kelsie Domer of Dublin On the other end of the competitor spectrum is Kelsie Domer, a breakaway roper who is reticent to make brash predictions, but whose résumé speaks for itself.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2025
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And in the absence of a crisis, Washington’s partners will likely be reticent to join in.—
Stephen G. Brooks,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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