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Reticent vs Retaining - What's the difference?

reticent | retaining |

As adjectives the difference between reticent and retaining

is that reticent is reluctant; reticent while retaining is of or pertaining to something that retains something else, as with a retaining wall.

As a verb retaining is

.

reticent

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained.
  • * 1856 , :
  • They are slow and reticent , and are like a dull good horse which lets every nag pass him, but with whip and spur will run down every racer in the field.
  • * 1870 , , ch XXIII:
  • But he was a reticent as well as an eccentric man; and he made no mention of a certain evening when he warmed his hands at the gatehouse fire, and looked steadily down upon a certain heap of torn and miry clothes upon the floor.
  • * 1891 , , ch LIV:
  • She had told him she was not now at Marlott, but had been curiously reticent as to her actual address, and the only course was to go to Marlott and inquire for it.
  • * 1915 , , ch 3:
  • The milkman had been released, I read, and the true criminal, about whose identity the police were reticent , was believed to have got away from London by one of the northern lines.
  • * 1922 , :
  • The inhabitants of that street impressed me peculiarly; At first I thought it was because they were all silent and reticent ; but later decided it was because they were all very old.
  • * 1922 , , ch XXV:
  • But they were not reticent enough to prevent the circulation of certain uneasy rumours and extravagant stories of discreditable adventures.

    Synonyms

    * reserved, restrained, tight-lipped * See also

    retaining

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of or pertaining to something that retains something else, as with a retaining wall.
  • Verb

    (head)