secrecy

noun se·cre·cy \ ˈsē-krə-sē \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of secrecy

plural secrecies

1 : the condition of being hidden or concealed

2 : the habit or practice of keeping secrets or maintaining privacy or concealment

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Examples of secrecy in a Sentence

this administration's steadfast adherence to secrecy is beginning to cost it the trust of the voters

Recent Examples of secrecy from the Web

As the league grows and these decisions become even more important, secrecy and spycraft within these organizations will only grow apace.

— jacob feldman, SI.com, "Why No QB Has Emerged Atop the Draft Pack," 11 Apr. 2018
Every country, not just the United States, is trying to find a nuanced balance between secrecy and the transparency of personal data, such as facial recognition of shoppers.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Facebook’s lapse in privacy protection," 20 Mar. 2018
Experts in offshore finance and taxation say there is a limit to what can be learned from documents because the purpose of offshore banking is secrecy and shielding assets from the reach of the IRS.

— david heinzmann, chicagotribune.com, "Tribune exclusive: Pritzker's secret offshore holdings revealed in Chicago duck boat land deal," 14 Mar. 2018
Grand jury proceedings are always shrouded in secrecy and held behind closed doors.

— tonya alanez, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Nikolas Cruz: First of 15 witnesses testify about school massacre," 6 Mar. 2018
Eating disorders are a disorder of secrecy and shame, especially for a celebrity.

— julie mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "Demi Lovato's Mom Missed the Signs of Her Eating Disorder: Here's What to Look For," 28 Feb. 2018
My reaction to the professor’s secrecy and the Segway story was similar.

— nancy napier, idahostatesman, "You can be too secretive when it comes to developing your business | Idaho Statesman," 28 Feb. 2018
Its previous CEO Travis Kalanick also had a penchant for secrecy and power during his tenure.

— cyrus farivar, Ars Technica, "Quest to dominate self-driving cars is at the heart of Waymo v. Uber trial," 4 Feb. 2018
Survivors and others have described a culture of secrecy and a solitary focus on OIympic glory at USA Gymnastics.

— marisa kwiatkowski, Indianapolis Star, "Amid Larry Nassar sentencing, top executives of USA Gymnastics Board of Directors resign," 22 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of secrecy

alteration of earlier secretie, from Middle English secretee, from secret secret

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First Known Use: 1556

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secrecy Synonyms

SECRECY Defined for English Language Learners

secrecy

noun

Definition of secrecy for English Language Learners

: the act of keeping information secret
: the quality or state of being hidden or secret

SECRECY Defined for Kids

secrecy

noun se·cre·cy \ ˈsē-krə-sē \

Definition of secrecy for Students

1 : the act of keeping things secret

I swore him to secrecy.

2 : the quality or state of being secret or hidden

The meetings were held in secrecy.

Learn More about secrecy

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for secrecy Spanish Central: Translation of secrecy Nglish: Translation of secrecy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of secrecy for Arabic speakers

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secrecy

Definition of secrecy

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Origin and Etymology of secrecy

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SECRECY Defined for English Language Learners

secrecy

Definition of secrecy for English Language Learners

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