Synonyms of reticence

reticence

noun

ˈre-tə-sən(t)s 

as in reluctance

a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something

the publisher's reticence to make content available online for free

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reluctance
• hesitancy
• unwillingness
• hesitance
• doubt
• disinclination
• skepticism
• hesitation
• suspicion
• indecision
• uncertainty
• vacillation
• irresolution
• wavering
• distrust
• faltering
• staggering
• mistrust
• wobbling
• fence-sitting
• incertitude
• shilly-shallying
• misgiving
• distrustfulness
• mistrustfulness
• misdoubt
• uncertainness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• willingness
• inclination
• conviction
• assurance
• certainty
• surety
• certitude
• assuredness
• positiveness
• sureness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of reticence

As Leland, a teen who kills his ex-girlfriend’s developmentally disabled brother, Gosling mostly stays blank and vacant; his unwavering reticence is required by Matthew Ryan Hoge’s script, which relies on a final reveal to justify its existence. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

In Florida’s capital, there was little stomach for persistent deep-state reticence. —Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026

Part of me thinks Americans’ reticence is political. —Nicole Russell, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026

Sweeney did concede that the uncertainty around two of the four first-round picks (the Toronto pick this year is top-5 protected and the Florida pick next year is top-10 protected) added to the reticence to move any of them. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026