Skip to main content
cagey

cagey

15 7.5
Careful not to give away information or show their plans
  • adjective
  • /ˈkeɪdʒi/
translation icon : evasivo
  • Sam was cagey when Dean played those phone messages to him in the premiere.
  • very cagey
  • cagey veteran
  • cagey guy

So they have two different ways of kind of being cagey with each other.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Synonyms

cautious
vscagey
210 2.9

Careful to avoid risk or mistakes

adds purposeful information control and shrewd calculation to caution
wary
vscagey
110 3.6

Careful because you do not trust someone or something

is more about calculated concealment for advantage rather than worry
secretive
vscagey
71 4.9

A person who does not tell others about their plans or feelings

is more about clever, cautious withholding for strategic reasons
evasive
vscagey
25 7.3

Not giving a direct answer to hide the truth or avoid commitment

is more generally careful and shrewd rather than merely avoiding answers
stealthy
vscagey
19 6.3

Acting quietly and secretly to avoid being noticed

focuses more on calculated verbal withholding than on silent movement
tight-lipped
vscagey
18 5.7

Not willing to speak or give information

uses that silence as a tactic to protect information and advantage
reticent
vscagey
17 7.9

Not willing to talk about thoughts or feelings easily

is more actively calculating what to reveal for personal benefit
circumspect
vscagey
  • Formal
11 7.9

Careful about possible risks before acting or deciding

pairs that risk focus with intentional withholding to gain advantage
canny
vscagey
  • UK
8 6.3

Clever and careful when dealing with money or business

adds deliberate secrecy to clever judgment rather than judgment alone
chary
vscagey
  • Formal
1 9.5

Careful and unwilling to take risks

mixes risk aversion with tactical concealment rather than simple caution
closemouthed
vscagey
1 7.5

Not willing to talk or share information

pairs quietness with careful planning to avoid revealing motives
cagy
vscagey
7.8

Very careful about what they say and show to avoid trouble or gain advantage

is more strategically shrewd and calculated about what to disclose
guarded
vscagey
4.9

Careful about showing feelings or strong opinions to avoid saying too much

combines that restraint with sharper tactical withholding of information
tightlipped
vscagey
7.1

Not willing to talk or answer questions

wraps this silence in deliberate shrewdness rather than mere reserve
closelipped
vscagey
8.3

Not willing to tell people private things

uses privacy as a deliberate tactic to maintain an advantage

Antonyms

702 1.0

Willing to consider new ideas

104 3.4

Open and honest when giving opinions or feelings

How Cautious

tight-lipped
18 5.7
secretive
71 4.9
evasive
25 7.3
cagey
15 7.5
guarded
4.9

Surface Forms

cagey positive
cageier comparative
cageiest superlative

Morphology

cagey = cage (opaque) = cage + y

Although the form suggests 'cage' + '-y', the meaning 'cautious, secretive' is not a predictable result of 'cage', so the relation is opaque to typical learners.

Etymology

The word cagey probably comes from the simple word cage plus the ending -y, giving the image of something kept closed up. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine someone keeping their words 'inside a cage' and not showing them, so cagey means being careful and 'not giving away information'.