What does secretiveness mean?
Secretiveness is the quality of being inclined to conceal information, thoughts, feelings, or intentions. It describes more than the isolated keeping of a secret: the word often suggests a habitual reserve that makes another person difficult to understand or trust. In contemporary English it commonly carries a negative connotation, particularly when applied to a person who appears guarded, evasive, or unwilling to communicate. Nevertheless, the degree of secrecy may be appropriate in sensitive circumstances, so the term is generally more evaluative than the neutral word secrecy. Secretiveness should also be distinguished from reticence, which focuses more specifically on reluctance to speak, and from tact or discretion, which can denote a positive willingness to respect confidential information. The word is useful when discussing patterns of interpersonal behavior, especially where excessive concealment affects trust, communication, or relationships.
nounThe quality or habit of being inclined to conceal information, thoughts, feelings, or intentions. It often describes a person's general reserve or mistrust of others.
- The quality or habit of being inclined to conceal information, thoughts, feelings, or intentions.
"Her colleagues grew tired of her secretiveness and stopped sharing personal news with her."
"His secretiveness made it difficult for his family to know what he was feeling."
"The report noted the minister's habitual secretiveness when questions were raised about the proposal."
Usually used as an uncountable noun; the plural is rare and more likely to occur in formal or analytical contexts.
"The study compared patterns of secretivenesses in different groups of children."
A secret may be kept, but secretiveness describes the habit of keeping one.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does secretiveness come from?
Secretiveness was formed in English by adding the suffix -ness to secretive, itself derived from secret. Secret came through Old French from Latin secretus, a past participle meaning "set apart" or "kept apart." The modern noun therefore expresses the state or quality of being secretive.
Related word forms
How secretiveness is actually used
The term is generally critical or disapproving when describing a person's behavior. It should not be used merely to describe ordinary privacy, reserve, or discretion, which can be neutral or positive.
Easily confused with secretiveness
Secrecy denotes the fact or state of something being kept secret, whereas secretiveness describes a person's habitual inclination to conceal information.
Reticence is usually reserved for reluctance to speak freely, while secretiveness more broadly suggests a disposition to hide information, thoughts, or intentions.