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
-
This powerful documentary gives voice to their silent cries.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
7 May 2025
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So no, the church bells aren’t going silent anytime soon.—
Margaux Blanchard,
Wired News,
7 May 2025
Adjective
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Still, the same words are used to describe him: quiet, reserved, introverted.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
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The ultra-private first lady's public wardrobe ranges from more muted looks, that match her reserved personality, to punchy statement pieces that better fit her husband's Truth Social feed.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Melania Trump wears black veil to Pope Francis' funeral as President Trump dons blue suit As the president's second term in office passes the 100-day mark, here is a closer look at the first lady's lookbook.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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His close alignment with Trump has damaged his tech company brands, and despite being one of the most proactive members of the president's team, his job approval rating has been ranked as even lower than Trump's.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 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 secretive nature of the conclave and the interplay of ideology, geography and Church politics make predicting the next pope inherently uncertain, even when certain cardinals appear prominent on paper.—
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
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Over the course of the conclave — the secretive process of choosing a new pope — members of the College of Cardinals gathered in the Vatican for several rounds of voting.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Its packaging is understated and classic—an elegant glass bottle with restrained branding, reflecting the confidence of a product that doesn't need to shout to be noticed.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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The restrained horror of Shoojit Sircar’s Sardar Udham, which had an extended, shiver-inducing sequence set in Jallianwala Bagh, has no place here.—
Anupama Chopra,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The saw-whets, perhaps intimidated by the larger owl, had gone quiet.—
Brad Dokken,
Twin Cities,
10 May 2025
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Brazile, a current ABC News contributor, added that Biden stayed relatively quiet during Trump's first 100 days in office this term, honoring an unwritten presidential tradition, and stressed that Biden deserves a platform.—
Brittany Shepherd,
ABC News,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Lue’s two stars are reticent, but James Harden and Kawhi Leonard spoke volumes with their play in forcing a Game 7 in Denver on Saturday night.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2025
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The ‘big three’ countries of India, Australia and England have been reticent given that slipping into the lower bracket would scupper their money-making plans.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Closemouthed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closemouthed. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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