closeted

adjective

clos·​et·​ed ˈklä-zə-təd How to pronounce closeted (audio)
ˈklȯ-
: closet entry 3 sense 3
a closeted gay man

Examples of closeted in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To the chagrin of The Advocate and probably more than a few Marvel writers, the closeted Northstar lived on, eventually joining the X-Men, and, much like myself, getting married around 2012 and enjoying a long and colorful life. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025 But Ride remained closeted even to friends, which frustrated O’Shaughnessy. Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 9 June 2025 His book takes its title from a self-lacerating line spoken by the tragic closeted lesbian played by Shirley MacLaine. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025 And Blake Ritson deserves a special shout-out for his delightfully droll performance as the closeted Oscar van Rhijn, whose arc this season travels through tragedy and ends on the cusp of a tantalizing triumph. EW.com, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for closeted

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of closeted was in 1969

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Cite this Entry

“Closeted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/closeted. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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