close-mouthed

/ˌkləʊs ˈmaʊðd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkləʊs ˈmaʊðd/ (ame, ipa)

close-mouthed — adjective

1. used for a person who chooses to say very little about a topic so that other peo

1.形容詞C1
釋義

used for a person who chooses to say very little about a topic so that other people cannot learn the details.

例句

Tuan was close-mouthed about the surprise party for his sister.

be close-mouthed about + noun (the topic being kept quiet)

Reporters got nothing from the close-mouthed neighbors near the crime scene.

before a noun: close-mouthed + person noun

同義詞
  • tight-lipped

    very close in meaning; slightly more common in everyday speech and journalism

  • reticent

    more formal; suggests a general habit of saying little, not just about one topic

  • secretive

    broader: hiding information through any behaviour, not only by staying silent

  • uncommunicative

    formal and neutral; covers anyone who does not share their thoughts, even without a secret

反義詞
  • talkative

    willing to speak freely about almost any topic

  • forthcoming

    willing to share information when asked, especially in serious or formal contexts

文法句型

be close-mouthed about + noun

a close-mouthed person

用法筆記

Subject is almost always a person (or a group of people). Frequently followed by 'about + topic' that names what the person is keeping quiet.

常見錯誤

❌The locked box was close-mouthed about its contents.
✅The locked box hid its contents.
💡'close-mouthed' describes a person who chooses not to talk, not an object.
❌He was close-mouthed of the news.
✅He was close-mouthed about the news.
💡the preposition is 'about', not 'of'.