reclusive

R1E1C3L1U1S1I1V4E1
UK/ɹɪˈkluːsɪv/

adjective

Of, characterized by, or preferring privacy and isolation; secluded.

UncommonScrabble 14

Meanings

adjectivereclusive (comparative more reclusive, superlative most reclusive)

comparative more reclusive · superlative most reclusive

  1. Of, characterized by, or preferring privacy and isolation; secluded.

    And if it sort not well, you may conceal her, As best befits her wounded reputation, In some reclusive and religious life, Out of all eyes, tongues, minds and injuries.

    1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)
    1 more example

    Kim Jong-il, who has died aged 69, was the general secretary of the Workers party of Korea, and head of the military in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). He was one of the most reclusive and widely condemned national leaders of the late 20th and early 21st century, leaving his country diplomatically isolated, economically broken and divided from South Korea.

    2011 December 19, Kerry Brown, “Kim Jong-il obituary”, in The Guardian

    Synonyms: hermitlike, withdrawn, seclusive

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf, characterized by, or preferring privacy and isolation; secluded.

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivewithdrawn from society; seeking solitude

adjectiveproviding privacy or seclusion

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Ancient Greek φιλέρημος
  • φιλέρημος (philérēmos)preferring privacy
Dutch teruggetrokken, afgezonderd
  • teruggetrokkenpreferring privacy
  • afgezonderdpreferring privacy
Finnish syrjäänvetäytyvä, eristäytyvä
  • syrjäänvetäytyväpreferring privacy
  • eristäytyväpreferring privacy
German zurückgezogen
  • zurückgezogenpreferring privacy
Irish aonarach
  • aonarachpreferring privacy
Latin lūcifugus
  • lūcifuguspreferring privacy
Māori moke, mokemoke
  • mokepreferring privacy
  • mokemokepreferring privacy
Polish pustelniczy, samotniczy
  • pustelniczypreferring privacy
  • samotniczypreferring privacy
Spanish reclusivo, recluso
  • reclusivopreferring privacy
  • reclusopreferring privacy
  • recluidopreferring privacy
Swedish enstörig
  • enstörigpreferring privacy

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

reclusive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reclusive

MLA

“reclusive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reclusive. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reclusive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reclusive.

Source: reclusive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.