What does recluse mean?
A recluse is a person who lives apart from ordinary society, either because they prefer solitude or because circumstances have separated them from social contact. The word commonly describes someone who has deliberately withdrawn, whether temporarily or permanently, from community life, work, or public attention. It can carry neutral or positive associations with independence, concentration, or artistic focus, but it may also imply excessive isolation. "Recluse" is especially common in biographical writing, where it often contrasts a person's public reputation with a private life kept carefully out of view. The related adjective "reclusive" describes the person or the lifestyle, while "reclusion" names the state or condition of being secluded. Although a recluse may resemble a hermit, the terms are not interchangeable in every context: "hermit" more often suggests a life of religious or contemplative withdrawal, whereas "recluse" places the emphasis on separation from society generally.
nounA person who lives or chooses to live a solitary, secluded life, away from ordinary society and social interaction.
- A person who lives a solitary, secluded life, either by choice or because of circumstances.
"After years of working from home, he had become something of a recluse."
"The celebrated recluse rarely granted interviews, even to fellow writers."
"She was known as a recluse in the village, though she regularly attended the local market."
The standard plural of the noun is "recluses."
"The novel's two recluses live on opposite sides of the city."
A recluse is not merely alone: the word suggests a deliberate retreat from ordinary social life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does recluse come from?
The word comes through Old French from Latin reclusus, a past participle of recludere, meaning "to shut up" or "close off." The prefix re- here conveys back or against, joined to claudere, the Latin verb meaning "to close." In medieval and later English, the word referred to a person who withdrew from the world; its modern sense developed through the idea of a secluded or enclosed life.
Related word forms
How recluse is actually used
The word is usually neutral to mildly approving when describing someone who prefers solitude, but it can suggest excessive isolation or withdrawal. It is less common than the more general term "hermit" and often implies a contrast with a person's former social life.
Easily confused with recluse
A hermit typically lives apart for religious or contemplative reasons, whereas a recluse more generally emphasizes withdrawal from ordinary society.
Recluse is a noun for a secluded person, while reclusive is the adjective describing that person or the lifestyle.