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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of closeted
Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
That moment is similar to one in the show where another closeted hockey star, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) shocks the world by kissing his secret boyfriend on center ice after winning a championship.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Jan. 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
Each book features a professional, closeted hockey player and their love interest navigating relationships that could mark the end of the players’ careers due to homophobia and backlash.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
That moment is similar to one in the show where another closeted hockey star, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) shocks the world by kissing his secret boyfriend on center ice after winning a championship.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Jan. 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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Microfiber cloths pick up dust, hair, and bacteria much better than paper towels, and removing the toilet seat provides better access to tight crevices that tend to collect hidden grime.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
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The command launches a hidden PowerShell script that downloads and runs malware.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Based on the crest fossil’s inner vascular canals and exterior texture, the team theorizes that the cranial accessory was likely housed in keratin and brightly colored.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Feb. 2026
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But the aesthetic alone isn’t why the Grey, the restaurant housed there, routinely ranks on lists of the city’s best places to dine.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Bigger film roles quickly followed, including that of the repressed, by-the-book Maj.—
Christopher Watson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Walters and her lawyers had argued that repressed memories delayed the filing.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The night’s highlights for the Aztecs were largely confined to the closing minutes of the first half, when, with 6-6 Tae Simmons playing the 5 with four guards, the Aztecs went on a 14-3 run that gave them a 33-29 lead at the break.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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His girlfriend, a 31-year-old woman identified only by her last name, Arroyo, told police the couple was tied up and confined to a small room while two men made off with valuables from the residence and their car, a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, Surfer Magazine reported.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Everyone’s personal experience of the pizza, or of the healing, or of the spiritual awakening, Gilbert said, was going to be completely different.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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The service Smiling, friendly, and personal.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, instead of being microscopic and embedded in a chip, these valves were incandescent filaments encased in vacuum and glass that were inches long.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
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Our approach to understanding the meat computers encased in our skulls has historically varied by discipline.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 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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The 17 treatment rooms are named after America’s Cup champions, there’s an indoor pool surrounded by loungers that feels like the deck of a cruise ship, and the Boiler Room is the spa’s high-end fitness center stocked with Technogym equipment.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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Like most spaces in the attractive abode, the bedrooms spill out to the park-like grounds, which are showcased by a pool and raised spa surrounded by a sundeck, along with a fire pit conversation area.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Closeted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeted. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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