incommunicative

[ in-kuh-myoo-ni-kuh-tiv, -key- ]

adjective

1. not communicative; reserved; uncommunicative.

incommunicative

/ ˌɪnkəˈmjuːnɪkətɪv /

adjective

1. tending not to communicate with others; taciturn

Derived Forms

• ˌincomˈmunicatively, adverb
• ˌincomˈmunicativeness, noun

Other Words From

• incom·muni·ca·tive·ly adverb
• incom·muni·ca·tive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of incommunicative¹

First recorded in 1660–70; in- ³ + communicative

Example Sentences

But he was able to communicate with Willis about getting the beloved series to viewers “before the disease rendered him as incommunicative as he is now.”

From Los Angeles Times

Bruce Willis is “incommunicative” now, according to “Moonlighting” creator Glenn Gordon Caron, after the actor’s career-ending diagnoses of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.

From Los Angeles Times

Incommunicative as he was, some time elapsed before I had an opportunity of gauging his mind.

From Literature

"News of the World," therefore, becomes an adventure featuring a grizzled older man and a young incommunicative child.

From Salon

Some parents say the camp has been incommunicative with them as the outbreak spread.

From Slate