WordValereclusive
avoiding the company of others
In more detail
1. (adjective) preferring to be alone and avoiding contact with other people
2. (adjective) located away from other places; isolated or remote
Examples
- 1. She is a reclusive writer who rarely leaves her home or talks to anyone.
- 2. The reclusive mountain village had no roads connecting it to the nearest city.
How to use reclusive
Reclusive describes someone who habitually avoids social contact, often implying a deliberate choice or personality trait rather than mere shyness. While it can describe both people and places, it is most commonly applied to people. The word carries a neutral to slightly negative tone, suggesting isolation that may be self-imposed or characteristic.
Common phrases
- reclusive lifestyle
- reclusive tendency
- reclusive writer
- reclusive individual
- live a reclusive life
Synonyms
solitary · withdrawn · hermitic · antisocial · isolated
Opposites
sociable · gregarious · outgoing
Word family
reclusiveness (noun) · reclusively (adverb) · recluse (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse reclusive with exclusive, which means limited to certain people or high-end, rather than withdrawn from society.
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