# reticent

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈɹɛtɪsənt/ · frequency rank #46,147

## Definitions
1. Unwilling to communicate; keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained.
2. Hesitant or not wanting to take some action; reluctant (usually followed by a verb in the infinitive).

## Etymology
Latin reticēns, present participle of reticeō (“to keep silence”).

## Easily confused with
- **recent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/recent-vs-reticent)
- **resident** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/resident-vs-reticent)
- **regiment** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/regiment-vs-reticent)
- **reticence** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reticence-vs-reticent)

## Common misspellings (12)
`erticent`, `reitcent`, `retcient`, `reticcent`, `reticennt`, `reticentt`, `reticetn`, `reticnet`, `retiecnt`, `retticent`, `rreticent`, `rteicent`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/reticent