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
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At the same time, Cissie Graham Lynch, daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, is urging believers not to stay silent in the face of growing hostility, including in the United States.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
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And yet still too many are staying silent as the situation in Gaza deteriorates.—
Chloe Sorvino,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Southwest Airlines announced its new reserved seating policy will begin on Jan. 27, 2026.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
24 July 2025
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Tickets are $125 per person and include Turf Club admission, a reserved table seat, two appetizers, two drink tickets (for premium cocktails, wine or beer), and chips and guacamole for the table.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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With the calendar officially flipped to August, the Miami Herald is counting down 30 of the most important players on the Hurricanes’ roster, one per day leading up to the season opener, to provide a closer look at the team heading into coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
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Moussa Mara, Mali's former prime minister, was detained pending trial over expressing compassion on X for people jailed for their political beliefs, said Abdoulaye Yaro, a close associate.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Aug. 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 series focuses on a secretive society called the Talamasca, comprised of the men and women responsible for tracking and containing the witches, vampires, and other creatures scattered around the globe.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
26 July 2025
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American courts adopted this principle of transparency from the beginning, rejecting the secretive proceedings that had enabled abuse.—
Cassandra Burke Robertson,
The Conversation,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Several Republican members who spent years hyping up the Epstein case remained restrained in criticizing the White House's handling of the matter.—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
24 July 2025
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This restrained color story feels fresh yet timeless.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Accessible only by boat, the island features quiet trails, pebble beaches, and one campsite on the north end.—
Katherine Lawless,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
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At least the Cubs can take heart knowing the 64-44 Brewers, their chief rival in the NL Central, also stayed quiet.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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And the company's reticent response suggested the whole thing was news to them.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
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Biden left office and passed the war over to Trump, who was highly reticent about continuing U.S. involvement.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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