reticence

Speech parts

1. reticence - Noun

2. reticence - Verb

Meaning

The quality or state of being reticent, or keeping silence; the state of holding one's tonque; refraining to speak of that which is suggested; uncommunicativeness.

A figure by which a person really speaks of a thing while he makes a show as if he would say nothingon the subject.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

reserve taciturnity control distance privacy silence censorship discretion secrecy reservation detachment restraint constraint reluctance inhibition
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Antonyms

hellenism show communication ease conversation publicity
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Hypernyms

uncommunicativeness

Examples

Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to preach, yet from the artistic point of view I am sure it is a sound one. Reticence conduces to effect, blatancy ruins it. M. R. James

There is a probably natural and learned reticence with myself talking about my early life. Pamela Stephenson

There paused to shut the door A fellow called the Wind, With mystery before, And reticence behind. Bliss Carman

Wistaria sprays, as they trail in the breeze, suggest softness, gentleness, reticence. Disappearing and then appearing again in the early summer greenery, they have in them that feeling for the poignant beauty of things long characterized by the Japanese as mono no aware. Yasunari Kawabata

Declare your line of conduct without reticence. Egyptian Proverb

Reticence builds a fortress in the mind. Chinese Proverb

Close letter words and terms

reticella reticella lace reticello reticences reticency reticense