as in privately
in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others
the girl secretly told her friends about the birthday party so it would be a surprise to the birthday girl
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of secretly
In 2008 the couple were secretly married, prosecutors claim, for health insurance purposes after David was fired from his church job for providing alcohol to underage members.
—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
Every resident of Rhode Island has spent the past year trading stories about this guy whose friend knows a guy (usually an EMT or firefighter) who told them for a fact where/when this wedding is secretly booked.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
That sense of organization is one reason why Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer secretly negotiated a five-year, $40 million contract with Counsell after the 2023 season and then fired David Ross.
—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
While attempting to clean up the bad press, the pair is forced to pretend to be best friends, during which the unlikely pair secretly falls in love.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 June 2026
The floor of the New York Stock Exchange in 1907, secretly shot with a camera hidden in the photographer's sleeve.
—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
27 June 2026
Millions are secretly using generative AI for mental health guidance, prompting a debate on whether to inform friends and family.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
The complaint alleges a church volunteer secretly placed a recording device inside the restroom during Summer Jam, the church's three-night program for children entering grades 1 through 5.
—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
For Prime Day, these supremely cute, casual (and secretly slip-on) sneakers are on sale and very much in my cart.
—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
26 June 2026
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
Every resident of Rhode Island has spent the past year trading stories about this guy whose friend knows a guy (usually an EMT or firefighter) who told them for a fact where/when this wedding is secretly booked.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
That sense of organization is one reason why Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer secretly negotiated a five-year, $40 million contract with Counsell after the 2023 season and then fired David Ross.
—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
While attempting to clean up the bad press, the pair is forced to pretend to be best friends, during which the unlikely pair secretly falls in love.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 June 2026
The floor of the New York Stock Exchange in 1907, secretly shot with a camera hidden in the photographer's sleeve.
—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
27 June 2026
Millions are secretly using generative AI for mental health guidance, prompting a debate on whether to inform friends and family.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
The complaint alleges a church volunteer secretly placed a recording device inside the restroom during Summer Jam, the church's three-night program for children entering grades 1 through 5.
—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
For Prime Day, these supremely cute, casual (and secretly slip-on) sneakers are on sale and very much in my cart.
—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secretly
Adverb
-
Giant Eagle, which is privately held, has 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
-
Glazer reminded him of the presumption of innocence and told him not to discuss what happened during his arrest, only to speak privately with his attorney.
Adverb
-
Baidu confidentially filed a listing application for Kunlunxin on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange at the start of the year, though offering details, including size and structure, were undecided then.
-
Anthropic and OpenAI have each confidentially submitted IPO paperwork to the SEC, though neither has set a public offering date.
Cite this Entry
“Secretly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secretly. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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