Discreet
adjective /dɪˈskriːt/ — Careful in speech and action — keeping confidences and avoiding notice.
Definition
Careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or revealing private information; not conspicuous or showy.
Beyond the definition
Discreet is the word for controlled revelation — the discreet person knows what they know and chooses what they share. In a world of oversharing, discretion is a form of respect for both the information and the person it concerns.
Origin & history
From Latin discretus — separated (from discernere: to separate, distinguish). The discreet person can separate what should be shared from what should not — discernment as the basis of discretion.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She was discreet with what she knew about him — the mark of someone who could be trusted with more.
A discreet inquiry: one that gets the information without revealing why you wanted it.
Discretion is a form of respect — for privacy, for complexity, for the difference between knowing and telling.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Discreet” when the meaning fits your context: Careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or revealing private information; not conspicuous or showy.
Synonyms
tactful, judicious, circumspect, careful, prudent
Antonyms
indiscreet, blunt, revealing, tactless
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Choosing Intentional Calm Stillness
An adult sits in a minimalist room with hands folded, choosing not to answer a ringing phone on their desk, gazing away.
The person's choice to ignore the ringing phone exemplifies discretion by avoiding engagement, highlighting a reserved and circumspect approach that values personal boundaries and silence over reactive noise, effectively managing their environment through private, quiet action rather than conspicuous reaction.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Discreet" mean?
Discreet is adjective meaning: Careful in speech and action — keeping confidences and avoiding notice.. Careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially in order to avoid causing offense or revealing private information; not conspicuous or showy.
Where does the word "Discreet" come from?
From Latin discretus — separated (from discernere: to separate, distinguish). The discreet person can separate what should be shared from what should not — discernment as the basis of discretion.