closeted 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of closetednext
as in hidden

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

closeted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of closet
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

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
His latest novel follows a backlot fixer determined to expose those responsible for the death of a closeted Black actor in the late 1950s. — Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 11 June 2026 While most would chalk Phil's zeal up to just being an old-school kind of guy, some fans postulate that the Shah of Iran is actually a closeted homosexual himself, and there are a few examples to back this up. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 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
  1. hidden
  2. housed
  3. repressed
  4. confined
  5. personal
  6. encased
  7. concealed
  8. surrounded
Adjective
  • Its urban garden, Little Siberia, is a hidden gem and not to be missed, with an amazing view of CopenHill.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The three separate incidents occurred when Anthropic was evaluating the capabilities of the three models using a fictional scenario to retrieve hidden information from a different machine on a network.
    — Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of hidden
Verb
  • The shop opened earlier this summer and is located at 1108 E 30th St F, housed in the Wonder Shops and Flats building alongside other establishments like The Combine and AiZen Root Remedy.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Plans have yet to be finalized for the largest of the buildings, which formerly housed the plant’s gigantic boilers, but options include classrooms, an indoor play space or an oceanographic institute, according to the project’s designers.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of housed
Adjective
  • The second, now promoted by a zillion MAGA podcasts, is a postapocalyptic hellscape of sclerotic socialism, repressed speech, and rampaging Muslims.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • The film is said to follow a repressed philosophy professor who has been grappling with lingering guilt over a decision from his past when the victim suddenly returns to his life.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 23 July 2026
Definition of repressed
Verb
  • Invasive plants threatening wildlife and recreation isn’t new in the area, but typically it’s been confined to lakes.
    — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
  • Wellness here is not confined to the spa; it is woven throughout the stay.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 31 July 2026
Definition of confined
Adjective
  • The article emphasizes that leaders must prioritize organizational interventions, such as de-emphasizing long hours and offering clinical sleep support like CBT-I, rather than just personal solutions.
    — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Engle then diverted the money to personal purchases, including a yacht, vehicles, jewelry, and other luxury items, authorities said.
    — Doug Myers, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of personal
Verb
  • Set the Scene The eight-story building is stylish, with a red brick facade encased in glass and steel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026
  • Over the course of an hour, the clouds unleashed more than 7 inches of rain, swelling the river encased in the narrow canyon by a foot every three minutes.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
Definition of encased
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
Definition of concealed
Verb
  • Served on a lazy Susan, multiple scoops of ice cream are surrounded by mini cones, berries, hot fudge, caramel, M&M’s, Reese’s, and other assorted chocolates.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
  • Yet growing up surrounded by accomplished artists came with unexpected advice.
    — Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of surrounded

Browse Nearby Words

closet
closeted
closeting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Closeted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeted. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All