: a person who leads a secluded or solitary life
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Greta Garbo and Howard Hughes were two of the most famously reclusive celebrities of modern times. She had been a great international star, called the most beautiful woman in the world; he had been an aircraft manufacturer and film producer, with one of the greatest fortunes in the world. It seems that Garbo's reclusiveness resulted from her desire to leave her public with only the youthful image of her face. Hughes was terrified of germs, though that was the least of his problems.
Examples of recluse in a Sentence
Noun
My neighbor is a recluse—I only see him about once a year.
he was sick of cities and crowds, so he decided to go live by himself in the woods as a recluse
Recent Examples on the Web
Melina Khan, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Read the rest of her review » More from The New Yorker
Linda Goodman was a recluse who brought astrology to the masses.
—Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Brown Recluses Brown recluses are not native to North Carolina, but they can be encountered in the Western tip of the state.
—Eva Flowe
may 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Reactions to bites from a brown recluse, like any spider or insect, can vary.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for recluse
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Noun
The new movie finds Cindy as a recluse living in isolation before teaming up with old friend Brenda (Regina Hall) to fight a new Ghostface.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Read the rest of her review » More from The New Yorker
Linda Goodman was a recluse who brought astrology to the masses.
—Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Brown Recluses Brown recluses are not native to North Carolina, but they can be encountered in the Western tip of the state.
—Eva Flowe
may 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Reactions to bites from a brown recluse, like any spider or insect, can vary.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for recluse
Cite this Entry
“Recluse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recluse. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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