Standard Lemma guide

closemouthed

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

reticent, secretive or uncommunicative

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: close, closelipped, secretive, tightlipped

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From close + mouthed.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мълчалив (mǎlčaliv) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Bulgarian: необщителен (neobštitelen) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Chinese: 嘴严 (zuǐyán) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Czech: tichý — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Dutch: niet spraakzaam — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Dutch: gesloten — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Finnish: vaitelias — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Finnish: tuppisuinen — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • French: taciturne — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • French: peu bavard — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • German: zurückhaltend — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • German: schweigsam — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • German: verschwiegen — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Hebrew: שתקן — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Hungarian: szűkszavú — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Hungarian: hallgatag — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Italian: reticente — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Japanese: 口堅い (kuchigatai) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Japanese: 口が堅い (kuchigakatai) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Portuguese: reticente — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Portuguese: taciturno — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Russian: молчали́вый (molčalívyj) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Spanish: taciturno — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Spanish: callado — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Swedish: tystlåten — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative
  • Yiddish: שווײַגער (shvayger) — reticent, secretive or uncommunicative