secretive
adjective
se·cre·tive
ˈsē-krə-tiv 
si-ˈkrē-
: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes
secretively
adverb
secretiveness
noun
Synonyms
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
Their fate remains unclear, given the highly secretive nature of Vietnam’s political system.
—
Heather Chen, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Mounted atop the rocket was a classified satellite provided by the National Reconnaissance Office, the secretive government agency that manages the nation's fleet of sophisticated optical and radar imaging reconnaissance satellites and electronic eavesdropping stations.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
The answer may be in some sauces that aren’t so secretive.
—The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2024
He’s also managed to build an interestingly secretive digital persona – pictures of the young political advisor walking into the Casa Rosada wearing dark sunglasses and smoking cigarettes have led to comparisons with characters from the British crime drama, Peaky Blinders.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Charles’ relative openness about his diagnosis was a departure for the generally secretive royal family.
—Jill Lawless, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2024
The film, set in the secretive Vatican meeting of Catholic cardinals who gather in Rome to pick a new pope, will be released in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 2024, before going wider a week later on Nov. 8.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024
Bortz reached out to the secretive Warholak, got a glimpse of what the junkyard held, and eventually acquired the cars, including the three at the Petersen.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
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Will Change Healthcare change healthcare?
—Tara Bannow, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
Heather Chen, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
Mounted atop the rocket was a classified satellite provided by the National Reconnaissance Office, the secretive government agency that manages the nation's fleet of sophisticated optical and radar imaging reconnaissance satellites and electronic eavesdropping stations.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
The answer may be in some sauces that aren’t so secretive.
—The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2024
He’s also managed to build an interestingly secretive digital persona – pictures of the young political advisor walking into the Casa Rosada wearing dark sunglasses and smoking cigarettes have led to comparisons with characters from the British crime drama, Peaky Blinders.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Charles’ relative openness about his diagnosis was a departure for the generally secretive royal family.
—Jill Lawless, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2024
The film, set in the secretive Vatican meeting of Catholic cardinals who gather in Rome to pick a new pope, will be released in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 2024, before going wider a week later on Nov. 8.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024
Bortz reached out to the secretive Warholak, got a glimpse of what the junkyard held, and eventually acquired the cars, including the three at the Petersen.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
Newsletters Sign up for Health Care Inc. Unpacking the business — and secretive inner workings — of the U.S. health care industry
Privacy Policy
Will Change Healthcare change healthcare?
—Tara Bannow, STAT, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'secretive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near secretive
Cite this Entry
“Secretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretive. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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