| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | unwilling to decide |
| Synonyms: | ambiguous, buttoned up, careful, cautious, circumspect, clammed up, constrained, discreet, equivocal, evasive, even-steven, guarded, hush-hush, incommunicable, indefinite, judicious, middle-ground, middle-of-the-road, neutral, on-the-fence, politic, reserved, restrained, tactful, temporizing, tentative, unrevealing, vague, wary, zipped |
| Antonyms: | committal, decisive, definite, judgemental, willing |
| Main Entry: | denial |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | dismissal, refusal of belief in |
| Synonyms: | abstaining, adjuration, brush-off, cold shoulder, contradiction, controversion, declination, disallowance, disapproval, disavowal, disclaimer, dismissing, disproof, dissent, forswearing, gainsaying, nay, negation, negative, nix, no way, nonacceptance, noncommittal, prohibition, protestation, rebuff, rebuttal, refraining, refusing, refutal, refutation, rejecting, rejection, renegement, renouncement, renunciation, repudiating, repudiation, repulse, retraction, statement abnegation, turndown, veto |
| Antonyms: | affirmation, agreement, approval, avowal, claim, corroboration, vouching |
| Main Entry: | discreet |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | cautious, sensible |
| Synonyms: | alert, attentive, awake, cagey, calculating, careful, chary, circumspect, civil, conservative, considerate, controlled, diplomatic, discerning, discriminating, gingerly, guarded, having foresight, heedful, intelligent, judicious, like a clam, moderate, noncommittal, not rash, observant, on lookout, politic, precautious, prudent, reasonable, reserved, restrained, safe, sagacious, strategic, tactful, temperate, thoughtful, vigilant, wary, watchful, wise, worldly-wise |
| Notes: | discreet means 'judicious, prudent, showing discernment,' while discrete means 'detached, separate' and 'individually distinct' |
| Antonyms: | careless, foolish, incautious, indiscreet, rash, reckless, thoughtless, uncareful, undiscerning |
| Main Entry: | guarded |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | suspicious |
| Synonyms: | attentive, cagey, calculating, canny, careful, cautious, chary, circumspect, discreet, gingerly, leery, noncommittal, on the lookout, overcareful, overcautious, prudent, reserved, restrained, reticent, safe, vigilant, wary, watchful, with eyes peeled |
| Antonyms: | careless, incautious, unguarded, unsuspicious, unwatchful |
| Main Entry: | middle-of-the-road |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | moderate |
| Synonyms: | balanced, cautious, compromising, conservative, controlled, disciplined, even, impartial, indifferent, inexpensive, midway, mild, modest, neutral, noncommittal, nonpartisan, not excessive, on the fence, reasonable, straight |
| Main Entry: | reserved |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | silent, unsociable; constrained |
| Synonyms: | aloof, backward, bashful, cautious, ceremonious, close, close-mouthed, cold*, collected, composed, conventional, cool, demure, diffident, distant, eremitic, formal, frigid, gentle, icy*, mild, misanthropic, modest, noncommittal, offish, peaceful, placid, prim, quiet, reclusive, restrained, reticent, retiring, secretive, sedate, self-contained, serene, shy, soft-spoken, solitary, standoffish, taciturn, unapproachable, uncommunicative, uncompanionable, undemonstrative, unresponsive, withdrawn |
| Antonyms: | extroverted, friendly, outgoing, sociable |
| Main Entry: | straddle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | sit or stand on both sides |
| Synonyms: | bestride, hedge, mount, noncommittal, sprawl, stride |
| Main Entry: | self-controlled |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | reserved |
| Synonyms: | aloof, backward, bashful, cautious, ceremonious, close, close-mouthed, cold*, collected, composed, controlled, conventional, cool*, demure, diffident, distant, eremitic, formal, frigid, gentle, icy*, inhibited, mild, misanthropic, modest, noncommittal, offish, peaceful, placid, prim, quiet, reclusive, restrained, reticent, retiring, secretive, sedate, self-contained, self-restrained, serene, shy, soft-spoken, solitary*, standoffish, taciturn, unapproachable, uncommunicative, uncompanionable, undemonstrative, unresponsive, withdrawn |
| Main Entry: | self-restrained |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | reserved |
| Synonyms: | aloof, backward, bashful, cautious, ceremonious, close, close-mouthed, cold*, collected, composed, controlled, conventional, cool*, demure, diffident, distant, eremitic, formal, frigid, gentle, icy*, inhibited, mild, misanthropic, modest, noncommittal, offish, peaceful, placid, prim, quiet, reclusive, restrained, reticent, retiring, secretive, sedate, self-contained, self-controlled, serene, shy, soft-spoken, solitary*, standoffish, taciturn, unapproachable, uncommunicative, uncompanionable, undemonstrative, unresponsive, withdrawn |