1
as in confidential
not known or meant to be known by the general populace
that he is planning to retire is private information until he makes a public announcement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
a private investigation of the organization's activities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in personal
of, relating to, or belonging to a single person
club lockers in which private property may be stored
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 private
Members of the new Agentic Futures Initiative believe lawmakers and officials need to better understand the technology to ensure new products remain interoperable across platforms, private — and secure.
—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Triago, the firm founded by Frenchman Antoine Dréan that did a thriving trade in a close cousin, finding buyers for limited partners (LPs) that sought to sell their stakes in private equity pools.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025
Jennifer Lawrence is fiercely private about her personal life, but the No Hard Feelings star just got candid about her experience with postpartum anxiety.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Triago, the firm founded by Frenchman Antoine Dréan that did a thriving trade in a close cousin, finding buyers for limited partners (LPs) that sought to sell their stakes in private equity pools.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025
Jennifer Lawrence is fiercely private about her personal life, but the No Hard Feelings star just got candid about her experience with postpartum anxiety.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private
Adjective
-
All calls are toll-free and confidential.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The following month, according to the FBI, the man joined a group call from overseas with five others – including an FBI confidential source, who recorded the meeting.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The evil-doing in question is simple enough, at least for a franchise that has always been built around the existence of a clandestine organization of magicians (The Eye) who love using their skills to take down bad guys and quite literally share the wealth with their eager audiences.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The 16-month plot to bribe Maduro’s chief pilot illustrates how Washington pairs clandestine operations with military power to destabilize the regime while projecting strategic pressure in the region.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The resulting four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence feels both layered and deeply personal.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
12 Nov. 2025
-
La Santa passed Wednesday’s callback inspection after the rodents either moved to new housing, gone on vacation or were more subtle about their personal waste disposal.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Large software wallets explicitly derive all accounts from a secret recovery phrase, underscoring how central the model is in everyday use.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Heeler family home is recreated in uncanny detail—from Bandit’s armchair to the backyard barbecue—with interactive games (led by a cheeky garden gnome named Rhonda), music, and secret nooks that delight kids and grown-ups.—
Alli Forde,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
In the comedy's newest installment, which arrives a year after the series first premiered, Charles is assigned with helping Wheeler College president Jack Berenger (Max Greenfield) crack a case and must go undercover as a college professor, per a synopsis from Netflix.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
-
In it, viewers meet Petraitis as Andrius, who is in undercover mode; Baroti as Laima; Kasperavicius as Mykolas; and Augustaitis as Rytis.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
While orders come with a four to seven week wait time, the process is highly personalized.—
Andre Claudio,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
-
For example, when a manager gives feedback to a team member, Cisco's learning platform will combine that feedback with other data points, such as the employee's skills profile, to generate personalized learning recommendations.—
Kelly Jones,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
At Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood, guests can take guitars or arrange tours of the property's legendary underground recording studio, NightBird.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Finland, for instance, is nearing completion of the world’s first permanent underground disposal site for its five reactors’ waste.—
Bob Woods,
CNBC,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Art might be subjective, but this deal definitely isn't.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Nov. 2025
-
That last movie was a horror comedy, which can be tough since the latter is subjective, Russell said.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Private.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share