tacit

[ tas-it ]

adjective

1. understood without being openly expressed; implied:

   tacit approval.

   Synonyms: implicit, unsaid, unspoken, unexpressed

2. silent; saying nothing:

   a tacit partner.

3. unvoiced or unspoken:

   a tacit prayer.

tacit

/ ˈtæsɪt /

adjective

1. implied or inferred without direct expression; understood

   a tacit agreement

2. created or having effect by operation of law, rather than by being directly expressed

Derived Forms

• ˈtacitness, noun
• ˈtacitly, adverb

Other Words From

• tac·it·ly adverb
• tac·it·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tacit¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin tacitus “silent,” past participle of tacēre “to be silent” (cognate with Gothic thahan; akin to Old Norse thegja )

Word History and Origins

Origin of tacit¹

C17: from Latin tacitus, past participle of tacēre to be silent

Example Sentences

However, what violent extremists perceive as a tacit nod of approval — based on Trump’s own violent rhetoric — could lead to a surge in domestic terrorism in a country that remains anxious, angry and well-armed.

From Los Angeles Times

That last remark was a tacit acknowledgement of Verstappen’s performance.

From BBC

For the Beninese government, it’s a victory they can peddle to gain the people’s favor, while France can mine it as an image-boosting tactic that comes with tacit paternalism.

From Los Angeles Times

We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility.

From Salon

Yet there may be more to that commitment: It’s a tacit acknowledgment that Boeing’s decades-long effort to juice its share price and maximize its short-term profits by undervaluing its traditions of superb engineering and rigorous quality control has failed by turning it into a corporation that makes neither money nor trustworthy products.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• implicit
• implied
• indirect
• unspoken