Private-minded describes a person characterized by a strong inclination towards privacy, secrecy, and the reluctance to share personal information, feelings, or opinions openly. Individuals who are private-minded often prefer to keep their thoughts and experiences to themselves, maintaining a degree of reserve and self-containment. This trait can manifest in various aspects of life, from choosing limited social interactions to guarding personal details carefully. While often seen as introverted, the core of private-mindedness lies in valuing one's personal space and the discretion with which they navigate their relationships and world view. It's about holding a part of self separate from the public, or even select groups.
Private-minded meaning with examples
- A private-minded individual, she carefully curated her social media, revealing only a carefully selected version of her life. She rarely discussed her personal relationships or emotional vulnerabilities, preferring to maintain an air of calm reserve. Her close friends valued her loyalty, but knew she could take her secrets to the grave. She valued her solitude above almost all other aspects of her life.
- The author, famously private-minded, rarely granted interviews. His books, however, were deeply personal, offering intimate glimpses into his interior life, despite the author's reluctance to publically engage. He considered such interaction with the public an intrusion. Many were surprised to find that such internal dialogue could produce such works. Yet, the author, in the end, held his privacy above all else.
- In a corporate setting, the new employee, a private-minded individual, kept his work life separate from his personal life. He was highly professional but never participated in office gossip or social gatherings. This earned him the respect of his colleagues but made it difficult for him to find his place in the company dynamic. Even though the company tried, he didn't budge.
- He found his journal, locked away securely, was the only place he felt free to express his feelings, because the private-minded man seldom shared his deepest thoughts with anyone. He meticulously recorded his anxieties and joys. Writing kept a safe distance between himself and others. In this space of expression he was utterly free.
- The witness, traumatized by the events she had seen, became fiercely private-minded, refusing to speak to anyone about the incident. She withdrew from social engagements and kept her family life behind closed doors. She struggled to let people in, and she found that to be a problem to the therapy she attended. Even though she knew she should share her story.