ENGLISH
REFERENCE

reserved

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ɹiˈzɝvd// re·served

v. keeping your feelings and thoughts to yourself. You do not show much emotion or talk a lot about your private life.

v. tending to keep one's thoughts and feelings private; slow to reveal emotion or opinions. Often used to describe a personality trait that is quiet but not necessarily shy.


SIMPLE

He is a very reserved person who rarely talks about himself.

CONTEXTUAL

Although she was friendly at work, she remained reserved about her personal life and never discussed her family.

COMPLEX

The culture of the diplomatic corps often rewards a reserved manner, as it prevents the accidental disclosure of sensitive information during social gatherings.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Typically used to describe people or their behavior; can also describe a seat or room kept for a specific person.

Pitfall

He is very reserveHe is very reservedLearners often use the noun or base verb form 'reserve' instead of the adjective 'reserved' to describe a person's character.

Idioms1 entry

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