The claim depended on a tacit legal effect, not an express promise.
Her tacit refusal was clear from the way she stepped back.
The team worked under a tacit agreement not to blame one another.
The manager's nod gave the proposal tacit support.
Similar words
implicit
silent
mute
inferred
unsaid
unvoiced
implicit
implied
wordless
understood
Meanings
Implied or understood
adjective
communication
neutral
Understood or accepted without being stated directly.
Examples
Her silence was taken as tacit approval.
The team worked under a tacit agreement not to blame one another.
The manager's nod gave the proposal tacit support.
There was a tacit understanding that the topic was private.
The old rule survived through tacit consent rather than formal policy.
Similar words
implicit
implied
unspoken
unstated
unexpressed
understood
inferred
silent
Wordless or silent
adjective
speech
formal
Expressed without words, or marked by saying nothing.
Examples
The blush was a tacit answer to the question.
They exchanged a tacit signal before leaving the room.
A bowed head offered tacit respect.
Her tacit refusal was clear from the way she stepped back.
The congregation joined in a tacit prayer.
Similar words
wordless
silent
unspoken
mute
unvoiced
unsaid
Created by law
adjective
legal
technical
Arising or taking effect by operation of law rather than by direct words in an agreement.
Examples
The court discussed whether a tacit obligation arose under the statute.
In civil-law writing, a tacit mortgage may arise by operation of law.
The claim depended on a tacit legal effect, not an express promise.
The lawyer distinguished the tacit term from the written clause.
A tacit right can be difficult to explain outside its legal setting.
Similar words
implied
constructive
unstated
unexpressed
implicit
Etymology
From French tacite and Latin tacitus, meaning silent or passed over in silence, from tacere, to be silent.
FAQ
What does tacit mean?
Tacit means understood, accepted, or shown without being stated directly.
Is tacit the same as explicit?
No. Tacit is implied or unspoken, while explicit is stated clearly.
What is tacit approval?
Tacit approval is approval shown indirectly, often through silence, a nod, or lack of objection.
Can tacit mean silent?
Tacit can mean wordless or silent, but it is an adjective and not a noun for silence.
What is a tacit agreement?
A tacit agreement is an understanding accepted without being directly stated.
What is the opposite of tacit?
The main opposites of tacit are explicit, express, stated, and open.
What are synonyms for tacit?
Synonyms include implicit, implied, unspoken, unstated, and understood.
Where does tacit come from?
Tacit comes through French or directly from Latin tacitus, meaning silent.
How is tacit used in law?
In law, tacit can describe something implied or created by operation of law rather than written out expressly.
Comments & contributions
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Jovial Elk
Jul 14
funny, in Spanish class I learned sujeto tacito, but in English grammar class they kept saying understood subject. same idea, different label
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Contribution
Trusty Duck
Jun 28
One collocation the page could use is tacit knowledge. In education / management it means the stuff you know by practice but cant really write as rules, like how a native speaker feels a sentence is off before they can explain why.
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Civil Marmot
Jul 4
yes! Polanyi is the name that usually comes up with this. bike riding and recognizing faces are the boring examples, language intuition is the useful one
2
Mossy Cricket
Jul 4
I hear it at work a lot too, usually when someone senior leaves and everyone realizes half the process was in their head