reclusive
adjective
re·clu·sive
| \ ri-ˈklü-siv
, -ziv\
, -ziv\
Definition of reclusive
1
: seeking solitude : retiring from society
a reclusive neighbor While Stephen King is far from reclusive, he doesn't spend much time promoting his horror-filled novels.— Sarah Lyall
2
: marked by seclusion or retirement : solitary
… sit under the reclusive calm of the acacia tree.— H. E. Bates
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Examples of reclusive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the Taliban have confined their struggle to Afghanistan, the IS militants pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the reclusive leader of the group in the Middle East, and embraced his call for a worldwide jihad against non-Muslims. — Washington Post, "A look at the Islamic State affiliate’s rise in Afghanistan," 21 Aug. 2019 Salinger, who died in 2010, lived a reclusive life in Cornish, N.H., and rarely spoke to the media. — Los Angeles Times, "J.D. Salinger’s works — including ‘Catcher in the Rye’ — are coming out as e-books," 12 Aug. 2019 Salinger, who died in 2010, lived a reclusive life in Cornish, New Hampshire, and rarely spoke to the media. — Washington Post, "J.D. Salinger’s books are finally going digital," 11 Aug. 2019 Family told deputies Mack was reclusive and hadn’t been seen or heard from since April 19, CBS News, the Cleburne Times-Review and Bluefield Daily Paragraph. — Harriet Sokmensuer, PEOPLE.com, "Missing 57-Year-Old Texas Man Was Killed by 12 of His Own Dogs, Police Say," 10 July 2019 Underscoring the high stakes of Trump’s diplomacy are many G-20 nations' deep concerns about North Korea, whose two unprecedented summits with Trump have yet to yield a deal to address the reclusive country's nuclear weapons. — NBC News, "Trump spoiling for a deal as leaders gather in Japan," 27 June 2019 The homeowner, Robert Heiskell, was a U.S. Navy veteran, a quiet and reclusive man whose wife had died years earlier. — Anne Ryman, azcentral, "Phoenix funeral home took control of dead people's estates, then charged them excessive fees, complaints say," 21 June 2019 Authorities are concerned about the aggressiveness of the coyotes, which are normally reclusive. — Maria Carter, Country Living, "This Town Just Had Its Fourth Coyote Attack In a Single Month," 11 July 2015 While the Taliban have confined their struggle to Afghanistan, the IS militants pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the reclusive leader of the group in the Middle East, and embraced his call for a worldwide jihad against non-Muslims. — Washington Post, "Islamic State expands reach in Afghanistan, threatening West," 10 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reclusive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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