secretive

[see-kri-tiv, si-kree-] / ˈsi krɪ tɪv, sɪˈkri- /

ADJECTIVE

uncommunicative

Synonyms

STRONGEST

covert enigmatic reticent taciturn

WEAK

backstairs buttoned-up cagey clammed up close close-mouthed cryptic feline furtive hushed in chambers in privacy in private in the background in the dark on the Q.T. reserved silent tight-lipped undercover unforthcoming withdrawn zipped

Antonyms

STRONGEST

communicative

WEAK

forthright honest open

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One division of MSL, the secretive unit called TBD Lab, developed the model that would become Muse Spark.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

But secretive military moves are also afoot, with plans for upgraded or new runways for both military and civilian use.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Details about the underlying allegation remain murky, but the department sources familiar with the matter said the LAPD’s secretive Special Operations Division tailed officers who were under investigation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

They are secretive about what action they would take if UK government objections persist.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Following HERO'S arrest, they had stopped recruiting Soviet informers under orders from James Jesus Angleton, the secretive and paranoid CIA chief of counterintelligence.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Vocabulary lists containing secretive

Lesson 2

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