reclusive
ri-KLOO-siv
/rɪˈkluːsɪv/
Seeking or preferring isolation from society and contact with people.
Implies deliberate, active, and persistent avoidance of social interaction.
The story behind the word. In medieval Latin, a reclusus was a religious hermit who was literally sealed into a small room or cell to devote life to prayer. Modern usage broadened the word to describe anyone who deliberately retreats from human society.
Word relationships
- hermitic: Carries strong religious or ascetic connotations of living in absolute isolation.
- cloistered: Implies shelter or protection from the outside world, like living in a monastery.
- sociable: Willing to engage warmly with others.
- public: Involved directly in open community affairs.
Commonly confused with
- secluded: Secluded describes physical places that are hidden away; reclusive describes people who choose to stay away.
Word family
- recluse (noun): A person who lives a solitary life and avoids other people.
- reclusiveness (noun): The tendency to live in social isolation.
Collocations
- reclusive author
- reclusive lifestyle
- become reclusive
- reclusive billionaire
Idioms & expressions
- hermit-like existence
- shut oneself away from the world
Example sentences
- "The reclusive author lived in a distant mountain cabin and refused all media interviews for thirty years." Author biography
- "After the public scandal, the actor became increasingly reclusive and rarely left his estate." Public figure discussion
Memory hook
RECLUSIVE = RE-CLOSE your door to society. Re-closing the door on the world.
When not to use
Do not use for someone who simply likes occasional quiet weekends; it describes a strong overall pattern of withdrawal.
Fun facts
- Famous historical recluses include author J.D. Salinger, who moved to rural New Hampshire after publishing 'The Catcher in the Rye' and avoided public life entirely.
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