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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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
-
While the Trump administration was silent on the details of the document, a New York Times report described it as merely a list of bullet points, not a full draft, citing four officials familiar with the negotiations.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
-
Proenza Schouler leans toward a silent gesture with its mint green terry dress.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sprinkle tops evenly with reserved sugar-flour mixture (about 1 1/2 teaspoons each).—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
28 May 2025
-
My ticket was for travel with up to six others in a reserved couchette cabin.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2025
-
And Tanner Scott, a $72 million reigning All-Star closer, has blown several save opportunities.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Adjective
-
Image Both companies are secretive about their processes, and have declined most requests to visit their operations.—
Mike Belleme,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
-
Musk’s unorthodox—and often secretive—slash-and-burn tactics often sowed chaos during his tenure in the government.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
The company expects ongoing cautious consumer behavior amid persistent inflation, leading to restrained discretionary spending, especially on high-ticket products.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
-
Wirtz, especially, can look awkward in Julian Nagelsmann’s team, and is used in a comparatively restrained way.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The drama division had been relatively quiet for a period but suddenly found its stride in the past year with a string of buzzy commissions that will now mostly air under new leadership.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
-
Each speed setting was quiet enough for sleeping or watching TV.—
Jessica Comstock,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Short of a large-scale threat to its homeland or the collapse of its military, a nuclear-armed state will likely remain reticent to deploy nuclear weapons against a nonnuclear rival.—
Paul Avey,
Foreign Affairs,
6 Mar. 2025
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But his administration is hardly reticent about denouncing other countries’ internal conduct.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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