secretive

adjective

se·cre·tive ˈsē-krə-tiv

si-ˈkrē-

Synonyms of secretive

: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun

Choose the Right Synonym for secretive

silent, taciturn, reticent, reserved, secretive mean showing restraint in speaking.

silent implies a habit of saying no more than is needed.

the strong, silent type

taciturn implies a temperamental disinclination to speech and usually connotes unsociability.

taciturn villagers

reticent implies a reluctance to speak out or at length, especially about one's own affairs.

was reticent about his plans

reserved implies reticence and suggests the restraining influence of caution or formality in checking easy informal conversational exchange.

greetings were brief, formal, and reserved

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

Examples of secretive in a Sentence

He's very secretive about his work. the intelligence agency remained secretive despite the media's demands for more openness in government

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.

The military is nothing if not secretive, and all of this work could be done in the dark—much the way the Manhattan Project, which developed the world’s first nuclear weapons, operated silently, invisibly, from June 1942 to August 1947. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 Behind closed doors, scientists, engineers, and intelligence agencies pursued some of the most ambitious and secretive projects in military history. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 But covert foreign influence—secretive troll farms, hack-and-leaks, or viral deepfakes—remains a growth industry. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 The statement did not name Infantino yet criticized FIFA for problems beyond the content of the private equity plan plus failing to consult about the secretive proposal. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for secretive

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from secretiveness, partial translation of French secrétivité

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of secretive was in 1835

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Secretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretive. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

secretive

adjective

se·cre·tive ˈsē-krət-iv

si-ˈkrēt-

: having a tendency toward secrecy and concealment : not frank or open

secretively adverb

secretiveness noun

secretive

adjective

Synonyms of secretive

Examples of secretive in a Sentence

Word History

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