RETICENCE Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

reticence

noun

ˈre-tə-sən(t)s

Definition of reticence

as in reluctance

a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something the publisher's reticence to make content available online for free

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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.

Recent Examples of reticence At the library, questions about how the case split the town were greeted with polite reticence. — Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026 That reticence led to calls from the city council for transparency, with the handful of alders who opposed the 2008 deal demanding details before anything moved forward. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026 But as Obama ran into the realities of governing, and the groups experienced the disappointment of his Administration’s compromises on issues such as health care and climate change, their reticence waned. — Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 Tóibín practises a sustained reticence, even as fate strikes so cruelly as to give this story an absurdist edge. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reticence

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reticence

reluctance

Noun

Against that backdrop, the royal visit signals that Spain is shedding its longstanding reluctance to send its monarchs to the exclaves, Amirah-Fernández said.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Still, shares fell almost 3% despite the solid results, reflecting investors' reluctance to reward even better-than-expected earnings amid broader concerns about the banking sector.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of reluctance

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rethought

reticence

reticency

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“Reticence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reticence. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of reticence

noun

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