secretive
adjective
se·cre·tive
ˈsē-krə-tiv 
si-ˈkrē-
: disposed to secrecy : not open or outgoing in speech, activity, or purposes
secretively
adverb
secretiveness
noun
Examples of secretive in a Sentence
He's very secretive about his work.
the intelligence agency remained secretive despite the media's demands for more openness in government
Recent Examples on the Web
At the end of the third episode, Pine and Álvarez track Teddy's helicopter to a secretive meeting in a remote location, and stumble upon a house registered to Hanson — shady!
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Jan. 2026
Early in the month, love could feel private or even secretive as old feelings resurface or unresolved patterns come up for healing.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026
In the late 1960s, Fowler was charged with the Herculean task of planning and building Disney’s secretive Project X — which would become Florida’s Magic Kingdom.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
The decision was a significant win for the town leadership, which has been under political fire from a band of detractors accusing it of being secretive and ignoring the will of voters.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for secretive
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.
Cite this Entry
“Secretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secretive. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
secretive
adjective
se·cre·tive
ˈsē-krət-iv
si-ˈkrēt-
: having a tendency toward secrecy and concealment : not frank or open
secretively
adverb
secretiveness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
