reticence
intermediateB2/ˈrɛtɪsəns/ · re-ti-cence
The quality of being reserved or silent; the state of holding back one's thoughts or feelings.
Meanings
The quality of being reserved or silent; the state of holding back one's thoughts or feelings.
خاموشی یا محتاط رہنا؛ اپنے خیالات یا احساسات کو روکنے کی حالت۔
خاموشی
khamoshi
Antonyms
Common Collocations
- emotional reticence
- reticence in communication
- social reticence
Example Sentences
Her reticence during meetings often made her ideas go unnoticed.
اس کی خاموشی میٹنگز کے دوران اکثر اس کے خیالات کو نظرانداز کر دیتی تھی۔
Us ki khamoshi meetings ke doran aksar us ke khayalat ko nazarandaaz kar deti thi.
He spoke with reticence about his personal life.
اس نے اپنی ذاتی زندگی کے بارے میں خاموشی سے بات کی۔
Us ne apni zaati zindagi ke baray mein khamoshi se baat ki.
Reticence can sometimes be misinterpreted as disinterest.
خاموشی کو کبھی کبھار عدم دلچسپی کے طور پر غلط سمجھا جا سکتا ہے۔
Khamoshi ko kabhi kabhar adam dilchaspi ke tor par ghalat samjha ja sakta hai.
Easily Confused With
Word Family
See Also
💡 Memory Tip
Think of 'retain' to remember how reticence is about holding back.
Imagine a person zip-lipped, indicating their reticence.
✍️ Urdu Poetry
نہ جانے کیوں خاموشی پہ دل میں، ایک عجیب سی خواہش بیدار ہے۔
Na jaane kyon khamoshi pe dil mein, Ek ajeeb si khwahish bedaar hai.
I don't know why, within my heart, a strange desire awakens for silence.
— Unknown, Unverified
* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.
🗣️ Urdu Proverb
خاموش رہنا بھی بیان ہوتا ہے۔
Khamosh rehna bhi bayan hota hai.
Staying silent also speaks volumes.
📖 Etymology
Origin: Latin "reticentia" — silence, unwillingness to speak
First known use: 19th century
The word 'reticence' has its roots in the Latin word 'reticentia,' derived from 'reticens,' the present participle of 'reticere,' which means to remain silent. It has been used in English since the mid-19th century.