Which description best fits the word reticent?

• A. uncommunicative, restrained, or reserved in style
• B. reluctant; unwilling
• C. outspoken and sociable
• D. not willing to tell people about one's thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs

Answer: (D)

Reticent means someone who is not eager to reveal their thoughts, feelings, or personal affairs, often keeping them to themselves. That precise idea is captured in describing someone who is not willing to tell others about what they think or feel. The other options are related but not as exact: being uncommunicative or reserved in style points to a manner of communication, not specifically the act of withholding inner details; being reluctant or unwilling is broader and may apply to many situations beyond personal disclosure; and being outspoken and sociable is the opposite of reticent.