1
: expressed or carried on without words or speech
the blush was a tacit answer—
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker2
: implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed
tacit consent
tacit admission of guilt
tacitly
adverb
tacitness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of tacit in a Sentence
While they got a frosty public response, officials say the private message was a tacit green light.
—Mark Thompson, Time, 16 Nov. 1998
Magic requires tacit cooperation of the audience with the magician—an abandonment of skepticism … the willing suspension of disbelief.
—Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
What a writer must always remember, however, is that with rare exceptions—Edith Wharton then, Louis Auchincloss now—he or she is never really in society; a temporary visa is issued with the tacit stipulation that it will be withdrawn and access denied if confidences are betrayed.
—John Gregory Dunne, Harp, 1989
Myself, I like to play the field and see what happens, but there are certain tacit rules: do not mix freshwater fish with those from the sea; do not mix coarse fat fish with delicate ones …
—M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
She felt that she had her parents' tacit approval to borrow the car.
There was a tacit agreement that he would pay off the loan.
Mark Thompson, Time, 16 Nov. 1998
Magic requires tacit cooperation of the audience with the magician—an abandonment of skepticism … the willing suspension of disbelief.
—Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World, 1996
What a writer must always remember, however, is that with rare exceptions—Edith Wharton then, Louis Auchincloss now—he or she is never really in society; a temporary visa is issued with the tacit stipulation that it will be withdrawn and access denied if confidences are betrayed.
—John Gregory Dunne, Harp, 1989
Myself, I like to play the field and see what happens, but there are certain tacit rules: do not mix freshwater fish with those from the sea; do not mix coarse fat fish with delicate ones …
—M. F. K. Fisher, With Bold Knife and Fork, 1969
She felt that she had her parents' tacit approval to borrow the car.
There was a tacit agreement that he would pay off the loan.
Recent Examples on the Web
But these hands-on experiences will be needed to ensure students have the tacit knowledge, skills, abilities, and relationships to succeed in the workplace.
—Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Chelsea’s decision to recall him to that first-team squad only five months later has been perceived by many outsiders as a tacit admission of an embarrassing error of squad planning by Winstanley and Stewart, but that is not the way it is being perceived within the club’s hierarchy.
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
Acceptance could be seen as a tacit admission of guilt or wrongdoing, validating years of attacks by Trump and his supporters, even though those who were pardoned have not been formally accused of any crimes.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 21 Jan. 2025
And with the acceptance comes a tacit admission of guilt or wrongdoing, even though those who have been pardoned have not been formally accused of any crimes.
—Colleen Long and Zeke Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tacit 
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Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Chelsea’s decision to recall him to that first-team squad only five months later has been perceived by many outsiders as a tacit admission of an embarrassing error of squad planning by Winstanley and Stewart, but that is not the way it is being perceived within the club’s hierarchy.
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
Acceptance could be seen as a tacit admission of guilt or wrongdoing, validating years of attacks by Trump and his supporters, even though those who were pardoned have not been formally accused of any crimes.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 21 Jan. 2025
And with the acceptance comes a tacit admission of guilt or wrongdoing, even though those who have been pardoned have not been formally accused of any crimes.
—Colleen Long and Zeke Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tacit
Articles Related to tacit
Dictionary Entries Near tacit
Cite this Entry
“Tacit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tacit. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tacit
adjective
tac·it
ˈtas-ət 
1
: expressed without words or speech
2
: understood or made known (as by an act or by silence) though not actually expressed
tacit approval
tacitly
adverb
tacitness
noun
Legal Definition
tacit
adjective
tac·it
ˈta-sət
1
: implied (as by an act or by silence) rather than express
a tacit admission
2
in the civil law of Louisiana
: arising by operation of law
a tacit mortgage
tacitly
adverb
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