What is a reclusive person
Recluse Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
1 of 2
re·cluse ˈre-ˌklüs
ri-ˈklüs,
ˈre-ˌklüz
: marked by withdrawal from society : solitary
recluse
2 of 2
: a person who leads a secluded or solitary life
Did you know?
Greta Garbo and Howard Hughes were two of the most famously reclusive celebrities of modern times. She had been a great international star, called the most beautiful woman in the world; he had been an aircraft manufacturer and film producer, with one of the greatest fortunes in the world. It seems that Garbo's
reclusiveness resulted from her desire to leave her public with only the youthful image of her face. Hughes was terrified of germs, though that was the least of his problems.
Synonyms
Noun
- anchorite
- eremite
- hermit
- isolate
- solitary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Example Sentences
Noun My neighbor is a recluse—I only see him about once a year.
he was sick of cities and crowds, so he decided to go live by himself in the woods as a recluse
Recent Examples on the Web
Recent reports characterized Donald as a known recluse who made people wary. —Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 13 Dec. 2022 The film, starring Brendan Fraser as an obese recluse who attempts to reconnect with his daughter, grossed $360,000 from just six theaters — translating to $60,000 per screen. —Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Dec. 2022 Temple has barely begun investigating the train crash when the local recluse, Ruthie-Jo Mitchem, is killed.
—Sarah Weinman, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2022 Linda Patrik always believed there was something off about her brother-in-law, Ted Kaczynski, the Montana recluse who would be known as the Unabomber. —Fox News, 31 July 2022 Tessai gave himself this guise of recluse—growing out his beard, living in a messy house... —Roger Catlin, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2022 But Natale Pirrotta nicely summons the angst and anger of rock star wannabe Roger, although the production short changes the recluse’s re-entrance to the world. —Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Oct. 2022 Hughes, who became a recluse in his later years, died in 1976 at 70.
—oregonlive, 1 Nov. 2022 Of those biting spiders, only two have venom that is poisonous to people—the black widow and the brown recluse—so most bites usually aren’t a cause for concern. —Kirsten Nunez, SELF, 23 Sep. 2022 See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'recluse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French reclus, literally, shut away, from Late Latin reclusus, past participle of recludere to shut up, from Latin re- + claudere to close — more at close entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of recluse was in the 13th century
See more words from the same century
Dictionary Entries Near
reclusereclothe
recluse
reclusion
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Style
MLAChicagoAPAMerriam-Webster
“Recluse.
” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recluse. Accessed 2 Jan. 2023.
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Kids Definition
recluse
noun
re·cluse
ˈrek-ˌlüs,
ri-ˈklüs
: a person who lives away from others
reclusive
ri-ˈklü-siv
-ziv
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on
recluseNglish: Translation of recluse for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of recluse for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.
com: Encyclopedia article about recluse
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
precocious
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Reclusive Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
re·clu·sive ri-ˈklü-siv
-ziv
1
: seeking solitude : retiring from society
a reclusive neighbor
While Stephen King is far from reclusive, he doesn't spend much time promoting his horror-filled novels.
—Sarah Lyall
2
: marked by seclusion or retirement : solitary
… sit under the reclusive calm of the acacia tree.—H. E. Bates
reclusively adverb
reclusiveness noun
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Here, Santa is a reclusive, slightly misanthropic, artisan toy maker (voiced in English by J.K. Simmons) who gets tricked into becoming the big guy bringing joy to the world’s children. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2022 Brendan Fraser's physical and emotional transformation into The Whale's Charlie, a reclusive professor spending his final days patching up his relationship with his estranged daughter, has been hailed as one of the most moving performances of 2022.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2022 Lili Anolik, Babitz’s biographer, took the writer to Mussos in her final, reclusive years. —Caroline Hatchett, Town & Country, 20 Dec. 2022 Even the famously reclusive Kate Bush speaks, though off-camera. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2022 As ProPublica and The Lever detailed in August, Leo was gifted a $1.6 billion fortune last year by a reclusive manufacturing magnate, Barre Seid. —Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 14 Dec. 2022 American crocodiles are considered shy and reclusive. —Cheryl Mccloud, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2022 Xi's remarks come amidst heightening tensions between North Korea and the Western world, as the reclusive country continues to conduct missile tests across the Korean Peninsula.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 26 Nov. 2022 Starring as a 600-pound reclusive English teacher trying to reconnect with his daughter (played by Sadie Sink), Fraser has found himself at the front of the best actor race through this years awards season. —J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 10 Dec. 2022 See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reclusive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
First Known Use
1600, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of reclusive was in 1600
See more words from the same year
Dictionary Entries Near
reclusivereclusion
reclusive
recm
See More Nearby Entries
Cite this Entry
Style
MLAChicagoAPAMerriam-Webster
“Reclusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reclusive. Accessed 2 Jan. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on
reclusiveThesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for reclusive
Nglish: Translation of reclusive for Spanish Speakers
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
precocious
See Definitions and Examples »
Get Word of the Day daily email!
Words Named After People
- Namesake of the leotard, Jules Léotard had what profession?
- Surgeon Acrobat
- Firefighter Judge
Hear a word and type it out.
How many can you get right?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?
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How to communicate with closed people?
Many of us have had occasion to meet closed people. They can be recognized by the following signs: they avoid conversation, answer in monosyllables, are shy, do not know how to establish contact with others, are not confident in themselves. As a rule, it is difficult to build not only personal relationships, but also work relationships with a closed person. However, if you find an approach to him and treat him with understanding, then the interlocutor will open faster and become more talkative. In this article, we will explain why people withdraw into themselves and how to deal with them. nine0003
Causes of isolation
Stress . Tension inside encourages a person to hide from the outside world and not let anyone near him. This is a temporary state that passes as soon as you manage to overcome stress reactions.
Fear . The fear of people and everything new makes a person withdraw in order to avoid awkward situations or problems. But over time, he mastered and gradually begins to open up to others.
Lack of communication skills . The inability to communicate, build relationships, win people over is a problem due to which a person prefers to separate from others.
Low self-esteem . Self-doubt makes a person think that he does not meet the generally accepted standards of society. The easy way out is to avoid people.
How to communicate with closed personalities?
A friendly, sincere attitude and a few other tricks that will help you establish contact with a difficult person. nine0003
- Do not violate personal boundaries, create comfortable conditions for communication. If you plan to hold a meeting, then warn the person in advance what the conversation will be about, what exactly he needs to prepare so that the interlocutor feels confident and does not expect a catch.
- Do not put pressure on a person in a conversation, do not demand an instant answer. Introverted people like to think over every phrase, so they need extra time.
- Ask for advice. Each person has a certain competence and is always happy to talk about what he is well versed in. nine0028
- Avoid harsh and hurtful phrases, try to give constructive and friendly feedback. People of this type are very vulnerable, which means that after unpleasant words they can close themselves even more.
- Take breaks in communication. If you see that the interlocutor is tired and wants to end the conversation, do not interfere with him. If it is possible to continue the conversation tomorrow or transfer to correspondence, then select one of the options. If not, then take a break for 5 minutes, offer coffee or water to defuse the situation. nine0028
If you want to develop your communication skills and learn how to communicate with all personality types, check out the free online course "Oral and Written Communication".
From the course you will learn the principles of effective interaction, types of communication and ways of building relationships.
Closed person: 8 signs and causes of a closed nature
Description
Signs
Periodic isolation
Psychological factors
Mental disorders
Advantages of being closed off
How to stop being closed off
So, first of all, let's see what is meant by the phrase "closed person"? Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary defines him as "isolated, separated from society and occupied with his own narrow interests." In addition, this is someone "uncommunicative, secretive." Synonyms are:
- closed person;
- unsociable;
- uncommunicative;
- non-contact; nine0028
- secretive.
Separately, it is worth noting such an interesting expression as "a man in a case", which became a household word after the release of the work of the same name by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. It applies to those who shun society, shutting themselves off from the rest with the help of a kind of mask - a "case".
A frame from the film "She"
How will we understand that we have the hero of our conversation? Here are some of its key features:
- dislike for public events;
- unwillingness to join the general conversation;
- predominantly unambiguous (yes/no) or concise answers to questions;
- distancing from others at gatherings and parties;
- the habit of hiding one's emotions;
- silence;
- difficulty in expressing one's opinion or attitude towards something;
- preference for privacy. nine0063
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- depressive disorder;
- schizoid psychopathy;
- sociopathy;
- anxious personality disorder;
- schizophrenia;
- autism;
- delusional disorder.
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Why might someone avoid socializing with others and prefer solitude to noisy company? There are usually three main reasons. Let's look at each of them.
If we are talking about episodic isolation, in which it is difficult for an individual to make contact with others only in certain situations, and in others he easily becomes the "soul of the company", then the reasons for temporary lack of communication skills may be as follows.
1. Associating with someone unpleasant
We think you will agree that even the brightest extroverts can turn into a closed and secretive conversationalist when forced to communicate with someone they do not like. Antipathy can make any of us answer questions in monosyllables and dryly, not want to be frank and end the conversation with the enemy as soon as possible.
2. Uninteresting topic
When a conversation turns into a plane far from our interests, or touches on topics in which we do not understand at all, it is easy to start to “nod off” and give the impression of being unsociable simply because we do not want to actively engage in discussion of something, or even nothing to say on this issue. nine0003
3. State of apathy
When someone is depressed, they usually don't want to do anything, including talking to others. When we are indifferent to everything, and we prefer to remain silent, strangers may think that they are facing an emotionally withdrawn person, although in fact the reason may be completely different - for example, vitamin deficiency, illness or chronic fatigue.
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4. Inner experiences
If you have recently experienced a traumatic event (such as the death of a loved one) or are completely absorbed in thinking about an upcoming important event (such as a divorce or promotion), then you can mentally transport yourself far away from what is happening and have difficulty maintaining a conversation, because of which you will seem closed to the rest.
5. Stressful environment
And one more situation when a person can become unsociable: an environment in which he feels "not at ease". Whether it's a party with strangers or the first day at work in a new place, at some point most of us find it quite difficult to relax and act at ease. nine0003
A frame from the animated series "Daria"
It is possible to become a closed person who avoids communication with others due to some character traits or situations that we encountered in the past. Here are a few of them.
1. Poor communication skills
Sometimes it is difficult for someone to talk to others simply because they don't know how to do it. What to say? How to answer? When to end the conversation? Often, such questions cause stress, making it difficult to build communication. nine0003
Children who have not had socialization experience often face a similar problem - for example, if they did not go to kindergarten. Another cause of underdeveloped communication skills may be defects that make them embarrassed to talk to others, such as stuttering.
2. Negative communication experience
If a person has had an unpleasant communication experience in the past - for example, he was ridiculed for what he said, mimicked or ignored - then he may become afraid to enter into a dialogue again due to fear of repeating the painful situation . nine0003
Do you consider yourself a reserved person?
3. Peculiarities of upbringing
A closed character may well be the result of a very strict upbringing, when the child was not allowed to express his point of view in childhood, was forbidden to communicate with strangers, or showed no interest in him. nine0003
Introverted children often grow up in families in which parents were aggressive or emotionally withdrawn. In this case, secrecy can be a kind of "defensive reaction".
4. Low self-esteem
When it seems to someone that others are not interested in communicating with him, then he quite logically begins to avoid communication. Possessors of low self-esteem consider themselves boring interlocutors, constantly weigh what to say (and whether it is necessary to do it at all), and are also prone to self-flagellation.
nine0003
5. The property of temperament
Why is a person reserved? Sometimes this may be a feature of his temperament, laid down from birth. As a rule, choleric and sanguine people enjoy noisy companies, while phlegmatic and melancholic people prefer to spend time in silence and alone with themselves.
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In some cases, withdrawal and closeness are symptoms of one of the mental disorders, such as:
It is important to emphasize that only a specialist can diagnose a serious problem, who should be consulted if any of the above diseases is suspected.
nine0003
As you can see, we can be closed off for a variety of reasons. Also, introverts, shy people, and those who suffer from social anxiety disorder are often called closed.
Still from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Since our society is dominated by extroverts and outgoing people who seem to be able to win over everyone and everything, being different from them is not so bad.
It is important to understand that we are all different, and although society often gives a negative assessment of closeness (you never know what it hides), there is nothing negative in introversion and dislike of chatting with everyone in a row. Let's say more - such a temperament can have its advantages, and here are just a few of them. nine0003
1. Your mysteriousness can be attractive
Those who talk non-stop and constantly try to "pull the blanket over themselves" in a conversation are hardly pleasant conversationalists, and the habit of telling new acquaintances their entire biography makes some people quickly lose interest in them .
Closedness, on the contrary, endows its owner with a kind of "halo of mystery", because of which others want to "unravel" him and show more interest in him than in a careless and open to everyone extrovert. nine0003
2. You think a lot before you do something
As a rule, introverted people carefully weigh the pros and cons before deciding to take a step, and in many cases this is a very correct approach. By carefully considering your strategy of behavior, you can reduce the number of risks and increase your chances of success.
3. You have a calming effect on those around you.
An introverted person radiates calmness and confidence, which can have a beneficial effect on those who are excited. Probably, you have heard compliments from the category “it is very comfortable next to you” or “when you are near, my soul is very calm.” nine0003
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4.
They say that silence is golden, and the fact that you don't talk non-stop can inspire confidence in others. It is possible that the most intimate secrets and secrets are often shared with you without fear that you will tell everyone about them. nine0003
5. You know how to cope with life's difficulties
If you find it difficult to communicate with others, then probably almost every communication requires you to internally overcome fears and discomfort. Well, although such a constant struggle is exhausting, it also tempers you, making you a daredevil and a real fighter who can do anything!
6. It's easier for you to make true friends
Contrary to harmful stereotypes, closed people have friends. And although there may be much fewer of them than with charming extroverts, communication with them, as a rule, is deeper and more trusting - they also say about them that they are ready "both into fire and into water" together.
nine0003
7. You know how to concentrate
Since the attention of closed people is usually directed not outward, but inward, it is much easier for them than for choleric and extroverted people to concentrate their attention on the current task and perform it well. That is why, despite the lack of developed communication skills, they succeed in a variety of areas.
A shot from the series Sherlock
In many cases, you don’t need to fight against closedness - if this is a trait of your character, then, trying to try on the mask of a sociable “lighter”, you will encounter strong internal discomfort and, instead of attracting people, you will only push them away their unnaturalness. nine0003
Therefore, instead of appearing to be someone you are not, try to gradually, step by step, expand your comfort zone. To begin with, you can try to compliment the barista in your favorite coffee shop for delicious coffee or start a small dialogue with a colleague who is nice to you.
