tight-lipped

adjective

1
: having the lips closed tight (as in determination)
2
: reluctant to speak : taciturn

Examples of tight-lipped in a Sentence

the cabinet official is usually tight-lipped about her private life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Vanderpump has remained tight-lipped about the new cast, other than the show going back to its roots at SUR. Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025 That's not surprising; the NRO tends to be pretty tight-lipped about its spacecraft and their activities. Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Apr. 2025 While Rubio has publicly touted efforts to revoke student visas, the State Department has been tight-lipped about individual decisions. Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2025 It had been thought that the next release would be iOS 18.5, but things don’t always go to plan, hence this smaller update. Apple is tight-lipped about the content here except for one specific: CarPlay. David Phelan, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tight-lipped

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tight-lipped was in 1876

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tight-lipped.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tight-lipped. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

tight-lipped

adjective
-ˈlipt
1
: having the lips closed tight (as in determination)
2
: not liking to speak : taciturn
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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