reticence
noun
ret·i·cence
| \ ˈre-tə-sən(t)s
\
\
Definition of reticence
2
: an instance of being reticent
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Synonyms & Antonyms for reticence
Synonyms
disinclination, hesitance, hesitancy, reluctance, unwillingness
Antonyms
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Examples of reticence in a Sentence
the publisher's reticence to make content available online for free
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the party’s version of events (link in Chinese), reticence on the part of Chiang led to the breakdown of the talks and triggered the civil war. — Echo Huang, Quartz, "“Hello, Prosecutor”: China’s list of 86 patriotic shows that TV stations should air for its 70th birthday," 1 Aug. 2019 The study authors say there may be many explanations for women’s reticence to speak up at professional conferences. — Melissa Healystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, "In science, questions matter a lot. Men are more likely than women to ask them," 26 July 2019 John’s reticence reflected a conscious hardening of his faith. — Alex Perry, Outside Online, "The Last Days of John Allen Chau," 24 July 2019 For Carter, however, Willow Creek did not take sufficient accountability for its reticence to act against Hybels. — Tara Isabella Burton, Vox, "Megachurch pastor resigns to protest his church’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations," 7 Aug. 2018 Some of that earlier reticence may have to do with the way she was raised. — Anna Silman, The Cut, "Holly Taylor’s American Dream," 29 Mar. 2018 Critics wasted no time in lambasting him for his reticence. — Andrew J. Bacevich, Twin Cities, "Andrew Bacevich: Trump’s reluctance to bomb foreign countries is a strength, not a sign of weakness," 4 July 2019 While a lack of Republican support won’t necessarily matter in the House, given that Democrats control the majority, the reticence on this issue could matter in the Senate, where Republicans are in control. — Alana Abramson, Time, "Members of Congress Worry the White House Will Declare War on Iran Without Their Approval. Here's What They're Doing to Avoid That," 24 June 2019 US Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas is known for his extreme reticence and his hard-core conservatism. — Ephrat Livni, Quartz, "Reticent US Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas is actually kind of funny," 4 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reticence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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