secretive
secretive — adjective
1. Someone who is secretive tends to keep their thoughts, feelings, or actions hidd
Someone who is secretive tends to keep their thoughts, feelings, or actions hidden from others, often because they do not want to share personal information or let other people know what they are doing.
Yara is secretive about her personal life and never discusses her family at work.
secretive about [topic] — the most common preposition
The company's secretive hiring process left applicants waiting for months without any updates.
attributive use: secretive + noun
Femi grew more secretive as the exams approached, studying alone and avoiding his friends.
grow / become more secretive — change of state
There was something secretive about the way Tamar kept checking her phone and lowering her voice.
something secretive about [person / behaviour]
- secretive about + topic
- secretive behaviour
- secretive nature
- secretive manner
- secretive smile
- remain secretive
- become / grow secretive
- deliberately secretive
- reticent
more formal and suggests a reluctance to speak, not necessarily active hiding
- tight-lipped
informal and more intense, often about a specific situation
- reserved
softer tone — suggests a quiet personality rather than deliberate hiding
- close-mouthed
informal; emphasises refusing to speak about something
- open
willing to share thoughts and feelings freely
- frank
direct and honest in expressing what one thinks
- forthcoming
ready to give information when asked
Grammar Patterns
secretive about + noun / verb-ing
secretive + noun (attributive)
Usage Note
Frequently used with 'about' to introduce the topic that is being kept hidden (e.g. secretive about his past). Can also be used attributively before a noun (e.g. secretive behaviour) or with 'grow / become' to describe a developing tendency.