Definition of taciturnnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word taciturn distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of taciturn are reserved, reticent, secretive, and silent. While all these words mean "showing restraint in speaking," taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

When would reserved be a good substitute for taciturn?

The synonyms reserved and taciturn are sometimes interchangeable, but reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

When could reticent be used to replace taciturn?

The words reticent and taciturn can be used in similar contexts, but reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

Where would secretive be a reasonable alternative to taciturn?

Although the words secretive and taciturn have much in common, secretive, too, implies reticence but usually carries a suggestion of deviousness and lack of frankness or of an often ostentatious will to conceal.

the secretive research and development division

When is it sensible to use silent instead of taciturn?

The words silent and taciturn are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of taciturn The beauty and terror of the landscape says more than the taciturn locals could ever hope or want to explain, and temporal loops lead our heroines not just astray, but on an existential journey. Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025 While Karen and her famously taciturn husband Ted (Joe Chrest) survive, no one is by any means out of the woods yet. Dan Heching, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025 She is joined in a modest trailer by her TV boss (Arvydas Dapšys), fearful of reprisal, a taciturn reader of late night poetry on the network, and a neighbor, a struggling TV actor (Paulius Pinigis) who wants to get away from his family. John Hopewell, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025 After a brief talk with his stepson Brian (Samuel Bottomley), a taciturn young man with bloodied knuckles, Jem takes off on his motorbike, into a remote but, compared to his dull suburban home, lush and verdant wilderness. Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for taciturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taciturn
Adjective
  • The federal lawsuit is also silent on that matter.
    Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Spencer Pratt says many in Hollywood privately support his criticism of Los Angeles leadership, but fear keeps them silent.
    Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Add to reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high until browned on two sides, about 2 minutes per side.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Melbourne Park does have three smaller show courts with capacities between 3,000 and 5,000 and no reserved seating.
    Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • For the young generation of digital natives navigating AI anxiety around keeping up with peers using the technology and AI displacing them from jobs, the fear of the technology making people dumber is dominant.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
  • This lens helps explain everything from investing mistakes and overspending to why some people quietly build wealth while others blow money in ways that, from the outside, look spectacularly dumb.
    Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Rooms are furnished comfortably in the expected Southwestern decor, but avoid overdoing it thanks to restrained, contemporary hands.
    Asonta Benetti, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2026
  • That restrained use of color and geometry feels emblematic of Milan, a city that prizes substance over flash.
    Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Taciturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taciturn. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

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