as in hidden
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as in housed
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers
he closeted himself in his study, vowing not to emerge until he had finished the term paper
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of closeted
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
In 1955, Universal arranged for closeted gay heartthrob Rock Hudson to be married off to his agent’s secretary amid swirling speculation about his sexuality.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Or perhaps the speaker could recognize that a cousin at the table may be closeted, and take it upon themselves to model how to push back against transphobia.
—Lee Bebout, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for closeted
Adjective
Series creator Sam Levinson remembered the actor, who played closeted patriarch Cal Jacobs on the HBO drama, sharing a statement with Deadline after Dane’s death on Thursday.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
In 1955, Universal arranged for closeted gay heartthrob Rock Hudson to be married off to his agent’s secretary amid swirling speculation about his sexuality.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
Dale, who was closeted at the time of his death, leaves behind notes stashed inside his treasured first-edition books hinting that his wife (Jeanne Tripplehorn) may have had something to do with his ostensible suicide.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Or perhaps the speaker could recognize that a cousin at the table may be closeted, and take it upon themselves to model how to push back against transphobia.
—Lee Bebout, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for closeted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closeted
Adjective
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This can stop hidden malware from being installed while you are distracted by a convincing scam pitch.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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This clever lift-top coffee table doubles as hidden storage, revealing a spacious interior compartment for blankets, pillows, board games, and other living room essentials.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His killing at the sprawling complex that housed his offices and residence in Tehran has created a vacuum in a system designed above all to prevent exactly that kind of instability.—
Imtiaz Tyab,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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Producer Nastasya Popov’s directorial debut, Idiotka, stars Anna Baryshnikov as Margarita, an aspiring fashion designer who goes on a Project Runway-style reality show called Slay, Serve, Survive in order to keep her Russian Jewish family housed in their West Hollywood apartment.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Tel Aviv, Israel — Undermining this moment of relief for many repressed Iranians is that killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a perilously simple fix to a very complex problem.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
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And that probably comes from seeing women in my life who have been so repressed that the eyes become their only real means of communication.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The condition isn't fully understood, as causes can range from mild to moderate head trauma, to pre-existing inner ear diseases, and treatment is confined largely to a physical therapy exercise called the Epley maneuver.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
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In addition to regular forces, thousands of temporary police officers have been deployed, and army troops — generally confined to barracks — are patrolling streets and guarding polling stations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This Mercury-Jupiter trine unites your distant 9th house and your personal 1st house, since Jupiter’s currently in your sign.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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Keeping personal feelings under wraps is a good idea for the last day of March’s run of darkness in the stars.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The membrane, which wraps around the battery like a skin, is a composite material comprising lithium chloride (LiCl), graphene oxide (GO), and active carbon fiber (ACF), all encased in a porous PTFE membrane and supported by a copper frame.—
Etiido Uko
March 04,
New Atlas,
4 Mar. 2026
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Candidates need to be officially certified to borrow any Lunar and Meteorite Sample Disks encased in Lucite plastic, and retain a copy of their certification form that was legally signed by a NASA Authorized Sample Certifier.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Watch it for its skin-deep enticement, its powerful visual devices, but also its concealed malignancy.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Cunningham was surrounded at the time of his death by his wife and children.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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The central stone is surrounded by a halo of 14 accent diamonds set in white gold.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Closeted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeted. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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