recluse
gb/ɹɪklˈus/ us/ɹɪklˈus/
B2
English
remete, visszahúzódó ember, anakhoréta, visszahúzódó, remeteéletű
NOUN
B2
1
remete
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a recluse; live as a recluse
After the scandal, he became a recluse and stopped answering calls.
A botrány után remetévé vált, és többé nem válaszolt a hívásokra.
The neighbors said the old man was a recluse who almost never left the house.
A szomszédok szerint az öreg egy remete volt, aki szinte soha nem hagyta el a házat.
She isn’t unfriendly—she’s just a recluse who prefers quiet days alone.
Learner examples
He is a recluse.
Ő egy remete.
She lives as a recluse.
Remeteként él.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with 'lonely': a recluse may choose to be alone, while lonely describes an unhappy feeling.
Meaning
person who lives in seclusion
Collocations
a reclusive recluse
|become a recluse
|live as a recluse
|live like a recluse
|a wealthy recluse
|a shy recluse
|a famous recluse
|a recluse writer
|an aging recluse
|a recluse who rarely leaves home
Synonyms
hermit (Often suggests a simple life apart from society; can have a religious or historical feel.)
|
loner (More informal and focused on being alone rather than literally living in seclusion.)
|
shut-in (Often implies being confined at home, sometimes due to illness or age.)
Antonyms
extrovert (Someone who is energized by social contact and seeks company.)
|
social butterfly (Informal term for someone very socially active.)
Themes
people
|daily_life
|relationships
|lifestyle
Definition
a person who chooses to be alone and avoids other people
A person who deliberately avoids other people and lives a very private life, often staying at home or alone most of the time.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
2
remete
B2
anakhoréta
C2
Usage pattern:
a recluse; religious recluse
The legend tells of a recluse who spent decades in prayer on the mountain.
A legenda egy remetéről mesél, aki évtizedeket töltött imával a hegyen.
In the story, the hero seeks advice from a recluse living far from the village.
A történetben a hős tanácsot kér egy, a falutól távol élő remetétől.
Learner examples
He lived as a recluse for religious reasons.
Vallási okokból remeteként élt.
Common mistake:
In modern everyday English, 'recluse' usually does NOT imply religion; that idea is more common with 'hermit' or in historical contexts.
Meaning
religious person living alone
Collocations
a religious recluse
|a holy recluse
|a medieval recluse
|a desert recluse
|a recluse living in a cave
|a recluse devoted to prayer
Synonyms
hermit (More common than this sense of 'recluse' for religious withdrawal.)
|
anchorite (More technical/historical term for a religious recluse, especially in medieval Christianity.)
Antonyms
congregant (Someone who regularly participates in a religious community.)
Themes
religion
|history
|people
Definition
a person who lives alone for religious reasons
A person who lives apart from society for religious or spiritual reasons.
C1
3
visszahúzódó
B2
remeteéletű
C1
Usage pattern:
a recluse [person]; recluse [life/existence]
He led a recluse life after leaving politics.
Miután kilépett a politikából, remeteéletet élt.
The article described her as a recluse artist who avoided interviews.
A cikk egy visszahúzódó művészként írta le őt, aki kerülte az interjúkat.
Learner examples
She lives a recluse life.
Remeteéletet él.
Common mistake:
This is often a noun used like an adjective (a 'recluse writer' = a writer who is a recluse). The more common adjective is 'reclusive'.
Meaning
secluded; living apart
Collocations
a recluse writer
|a recluse billionaire
|a recluse lifestyle
|a recluse existence
|a recluse life
Synonyms
reclusive (The standard adjective form in modern English.)
|
secluded (Emphasizes being away from others, often about place as well as people.)
Antonyms
sociable (Enjoying being with other people.)
Themes
language
|people
|lifestyle
Definition
used to mean 'reclusive' or 'living alone'
Used before a noun to describe someone or something as living in seclusion or keeping away from other people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
recluse
IPA
GB/ɹɪklˈus/
US/ɹɪklˈus/
Syllables & stress
re - cluse (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cluse)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: recluse
- Plural: recluses
Expressions
become a recluse
1/bɪkˈʌm ə ɹɪklˈus/
fixed phrase
start living in seclusion
to start living alone and not meeting people
Examples
- He became a recluse after the break-up and stopped seeing friends.
- Some celebrities become recluses to escape constant attention.
Learner examples
- She became a recluse.
brown recluse
1/bɹˈaʊn ɹɪklˈus/
fixed phrase
venomous North American spider
a type of poisonous spider
Examples
- The doctor asked whether it could have been a brown recluse bite.
- They called pest control after finding what looked like a brown recluse in the basement.
Learner examples
- A brown recluse is a spider.
live as a recluse
1/lˈaɪv ˈæz ə ɹɪklˈus/
fixed phrase
live in deliberate isolation
to live alone and avoid people
Examples
- After his wife died, he lived as a recluse for years.
- She doesn’t travel much and lives as a recluse in the countryside.
Learner examples
- He lives as a recluse.
live like a recluse
1/lˈɪv lˈaɪk ə ɹɪklˈus/
fixed phrase
live very privately
to live almost always alone
Examples
- During exam week, I live like a recluse and barely leave my room.
- He lived like a recluse while he recovered from surgery.
Learner examples
- I lived like a recluse last winter.
recluse spider
1/ɹɪklˈus spˈaɪdɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
spider of Loxosceles genus
a type of spider such as the brown recluse
Examples
- The guide compared a recluse spider to other spiders commonly found indoors.
- Not every bite blamed on a recluse spider is actually from that species.