closeted 1 of 2

Definition of closetednext

closeted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of closet

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of closeted
Adjective
Joe, who grew up a closeted teen in Kansas City facing abuse by his father, hits the road hitchhiking. Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 The film centers on a pickpocket who survives by exploiting the desires of closeted men, until his detached worldview is upended when one of his marks returns seeking closeness rather than settling scores. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 May 2026
Verb
The steamy romance Heated Rivalry saw two gay men spend nearly a decade trying to define their relationship; although being closeted played a major role in their hesitation, the show also mined tension from the characters’ doubts about having an exclusive partnership. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026 Morrissey’s character must confront his own homophobia and transphobia as Cumming forms a friendship with one of his sons, who is closeted. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for closeted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closeted
Adjective
  • In the evening, Banff’s newest late-night spot, The Dusty Boot Saloon, channels cowboy country motifs through nostalgic saloon energy and a lively dance hall, stage for live music and hidden lounges.
    Kristin Braswell, USA Today, 22 June 2026
  • Further investigation determined that the videos came from a hidden camera installed in one of the church's changing rooms and bathrooms.
    Ronn Blitzer , Tessa Hoyos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • The answers have housed over 1,000 refugees across 24 campuses — dining halls, health clinics, student volunteers, and all.
    Ashoka, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • The Caribbean’s most significant private collection of contemporary art is housed in this nine-bedroom villa at Viceroy Sugar Beach, which opened in February 2025.
    Sarah Turner, Robb Report, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • Zhang, delivering his first fully Cantonese-language performance on the big screen, portrays a repressed small-time man caught between competing versions of reality.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 June 2026
  • Grappling with grief Everything – the tough love, the repressed feelings, the cruelty of his father’s illness – is tumbling out of Sanders.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The suspect planned out his attack, and specifically chose a place that would be confined and populated, Patel said.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • Because for security reasons and all kinds of other reasons, you are confined.
    Lara Walsh, InStyle, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • Which is my personal favorite color.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 22 June 2026
  • Yet modern soccer stars are also their own personal brands.
    Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • The next shot shows the car encased in the home amid piles of crumbling plaster, split beams and bits of furniture.
    Bernard Condon, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
  • Over time, a soft split bun encased the sausage, creating something portable to be eaten standing at a fairground, during a factory break, or in the bleachers at a baseball game.
    Ashley Rose Young, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • In another instance, investigators identified a gray button on a test-taker's shirt as a concealed camera.
    Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • Kentucky lawmakers will likely let our columnist Joe Gerth down again by overriding the veto of a bill that would allow 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to carry concealed guns.
    Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Astronomers have used a technique called echo mapping to detect hints that supermassive black holes, such as the cosmic titan at the heart of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), are surrounded by dense clouds and clusters of dark matter.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 June 2026
  • Tucked away on the grounds of Kensington Palace stands Nottingham Cottage, a two-bedroom, 1,324 square-foot Victorian home surrounded by greenery.
    Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 20 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Closeted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeted. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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