cageyEnglishOxford American Thesauruscagey adjective informal he was rather cagey about his plans: secretive, guarded, noncommittal, tight-lipped, reticent, cautious, circumspect, chary, wary, careful, evasive, elusive, equivocal; discreet; informal playing one's cards close to one's chest. ▷antonyms frank, open.