closet

noun

clos·et | \ ˈklä-zət

, ˈklȯ-\

Definition of closet

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : an apartment or small room for privacy

b : a monarch's or official's private chamber

2 : a cabinet or recess for especially china, household utensils, or clothing

3 : a place of retreat or privacy

4 : water closet

5 : a state or condition of secrecy, privacy, or obscurity came out of the closet

closet

verb

closeted; closeting; closets

Definition of closet (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to shut up in or as if in a closet

2 : to take into a closet for a secret interview

closet

adjective

Definition of closet (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : closely private

2 : working in or suited to the closet as the place of seclusion or study : theoretical

3 : being so in private a closet racist

Other Words from closet Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about closet

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Examples of closet in a Sentence

Noun

The sheets and blankets are in the hall closet. He has a closet full of new clothes.

Verb

He closeted himself in his apartment for several days. he closeted himself in his study, vowing not to emerge until he had finished the term paper

Adjective

Some people think he's a closet homosexual.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The clean luggage is then returned to its closet, where hanging, hand-poured, wax tablets from one of the oldest pharmacies in the world, Santa Maria Novella, emit the fresh scent of melograno. — Luzanne Otte, Town & Country, "Patricia Altschul's Very Specific Guide to Traveling in Style," 18 May 2019 Actually, make that triple duty: There's also space at the bar to serve as a guest closet, since the sofa nearby pulls out into a bed. — Candace Braun Davison, House Beautiful, "This Art Deco Home Is A Multitasker’s Paradise," 16 May 2019 Make these important moves by calling your family or cleaning out your closet, and give yourself time to walk down memory lane. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What May’s Aquarius Horoscope Predictions Mean for You," 30 Apr. 2019 And like any other fashion-loving child, North raided her mom's closet for something special to complete her outfit: a pair of strappy heels from an undisclosed designer. — Nicole Saunders, Harper's BAZAAR, "North West Borrowed Kim Kardashian's High Heels at True Thompson's Birthday Party," 16 Apr. 2019 Beauty 10 Slides There are key moments during the year when cleaning up and organizing your closet, personal belongings, and life, are a must. — Teen Vogue, "These Are The Best Makeup Organizers You’ll Find on Amazon," 19 Mar. 2019 To persuade his wife, Mr. Dewez, 65, upgraded from a 36-footer to a 44-foot Dutch Star, a customized vehicle with two bathrooms, full-size closets, a double sink, and a washer and dryer. — Steve Friess, New York Times, "A Gated Community for a Home on Wheels," 28 June 2018 Pick a bathroom cupboard, a single kitchen drawer, one closet, your purse, the baby's diaper bag. — Melissa Rolland, courant.com, "Clearing Out The Clutter," 26 June 2018 All three systems have a single node plugged in at the router closet, a second node plugged in at the living room TV island, and a third node downstairs on the back wall of the den. — Jim Salter, Ars Technica, "Exclusive: Plume’s new “Superpod” hardware is here—and it’s fast," 12 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The two are brought together when Pale’s brother, Robbie, a gay dancer who is closeted to his family and close to Anna, dies in a boating accident. — Jason Zinoman, Vogue, "In Burn This, Adam Driver and Keri Russell Find Love in a Hopeless Place," 15 Apr. 2019 Terrified and in agony over her closeted life, J.J. attempted suicide, and the entire game is a sort of near-death fever dream where J.J.’s identity swims between liminal spaces — closeted and out, alive and dead, whole and in literal pieces. — Julie Muncy, The Verge, "This queer horror game forces you to literally tear yourself apart," 8 Nov. 2018 Without much money for TV commercials, that’s one way Allen can gain traction in California’s liberal territory: word-of-mouth from one closeted conservative to another. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer. — Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, "Closeted conservatives come out in the Bay Area to campaign for a Republican," 26 Apr. 2018 Historically, gay bars have been side-street hideaways, architecturally closeted warrens of secrecy. — Richard Morgan, New York Times, "The Inevitable Rise of the Gay Hooters," 21 June 2018 Always be mindful of how your office conversations could affect a closeted or more reticent coworker. — Nick Levine, GQ, "How to Be Gay at Work," 14 June 2018 By the end of the day, the homeless women had met their new roommates, signed their rental agreements, washed and closeted their clothes and fought back tears reading the welcome notes waiting for them on their new beds. — Doug Smith, latimes.com, "A Venice couple is housing homeless people, one small building at a time," 8 June 2018 Montour, who grew up in Worcester and was closeted until age 40, now has a large group of friends. — Robert Weisman, BostonGlobe.com, "Gay boomers look ahead to an old age colored by uncertainty and the help of friends," 9 June 2018 For Berlanti, who is openly gay himself and grew up closeted until his early 20s, the film is a labor of love. — Rob Ledonne, Billboard, "'Love, Simon' Music, From Deep Cuts to Surprise Global Hits," 16 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'closet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.