as in secretly
in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others
she confided to me privately that she was considering divorce
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Recent Examples of privately
Was Scott brimming with optimism for the future, as his brother maintained, or privately tormented, as his partner believed?
—
Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The allegation led Hogsett to privately prohibit Cook from having romantic relationships with city employees.
—IndyStar, 13 Oct. 2025
In November, Jackson terminated Gatlin for swindling millions of dollars from the Foundation as executives privately reeled over her betrayal of the hospital system’s fundraising arm, which raises tens of millions to benefit Jackson’s patients.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
Another roughly 34 million people have Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of Medicare that often come with prescription coverage.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2025
And privately, the family was splintering.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Over the past year or more, the social service organization CLUES has gradually outfitted the former school building for new uses, including parenting classes, a weekly food shelf and privately run family child care rooms that will soon be operated by Spanish-speaking providers.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
Because it is privately funded and receives no federal money, the project is exempt from many exhaustive governmental vetting and environmental analysis requirements.
—Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2025
In the United Kingdom, social media exacerbated this narrative, depriving Teasdale and Chambers of the necessary space to privately reckon with their sudden fame.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
The allegation led Hogsett to privately prohibit Cook from having romantic relationships with city employees.
—IndyStar, 13 Oct. 2025
In November, Jackson terminated Gatlin for swindling millions of dollars from the Foundation as executives privately reeled over her betrayal of the hospital system’s fundraising arm, which raises tens of millions to benefit Jackson’s patients.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
Another roughly 34 million people have Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of Medicare that often come with prescription coverage.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2025
And privately, the family was splintering.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Over the past year or more, the social service organization CLUES has gradually outfitted the former school building for new uses, including parenting classes, a weekly food shelf and privately run family child care rooms that will soon be operated by Spanish-speaking providers.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
Because it is privately funded and receives no federal money, the project is exempt from many exhaustive governmental vetting and environmental analysis requirements.
—Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2025
In the United Kingdom, social media exacerbated this narrative, depriving Teasdale and Chambers of the necessary space to privately reckon with their sudden fame.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for privately
Adverb
-
Norman Osborn secretly kept a piece of the symbiote to experiment on.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
-
While the two were discussing the deal, Niroula secretly let Bustamante and McCarthy into the house.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The two sides settled confidentially last year and Joyride emerged from bankruptcy.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
So these cases are almost always settled confidentially.—
Stayton Bonner,
Robb Report,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Privately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/privately. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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