Word
recluse
US/ɹɪˈkɫus/
UK/ɹɪklˈuːs/
Definition
n. a person who lives alone and avoids other people. You use this to describe someone who prefers to stay away from society.
n. a person who lives in seclusion and avoids social contact. Often used to describe someone who has chosen a solitary lifestyle for religious, philosophical, or health reasons.
Examples
“The writer lived as a recluse in the mountains.”
“After retiring from public life, the famous actor became a recluse, rarely leaving his home or speaking to the press.”
“The philosopher spent decades as a recluse, dedicating his life to the study of ancient texts and the cultivation of a private garden.”
Examples
simple
“The writer lived as a recluse in the mountains.”
contextual
“After retiring from public life, the famous actor became a recluse, rarely leaving his home or speaking to the press.”
complex
“The philosopher spent decades as a recluse, dedicating his life to the study of ancient texts and the cultivation of a private garden.”
Real-World Examples
“I didn't see my friends, my family for three years and I was a recluse.” “In her most common form, she is a cardigan-wearing, bespectacled recluse who owns at least one cat, if not several.” “They are known as hikikomori – recluses who withdraw from all social contact and often don’t leave their houses for years at a time.” Etymology
From Old French reclus, past participle of reclure, from Latin reclūdere (“to disclose, to open”), from re- + claudō (“close”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/recluse