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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of privately
Mamdani and Charles briefly exchanged words at the 9/11 memorial on April 29 but did not meet privately during the visit.
—
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 May 2026
On Friday, Makary was privately dismissing the reports of his imminent ouster as false, those people said.
—Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
The campus is now privately owned and in the process of restoration.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 8 May 2026
The status of individual license offices may vary, as many of them are privately owned.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
The land is privately owned, but huge swaths are managed to provide habitat for rare and endangered species that once thrived in the West.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
His ex-wife told the Herald over the phone that her family was grieving privately at this time.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026
Energage shares the results with each organization privately.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
What the groom didn't know was that the bride privately called their photographer, Ashlyn Harrop, beforehand to plan the perfect prank.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026
Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 May 2026
On Friday, Makary was privately dismissing the reports of his imminent ouster as false, those people said.
—Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
The campus is now privately owned and in the process of restoration.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 8 May 2026
The status of individual license offices may vary, as many of them are privately owned.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026
The land is privately owned, but huge swaths are managed to provide habitat for rare and endangered species that once thrived in the West.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
His ex-wife told the Herald over the phone that her family was grieving privately at this time.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 7 May 2026
Energage shares the results with each organization privately.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
What the groom didn't know was that the bride privately called their photographer, Ashlyn Harrop, beforehand to plan the perfect prank.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for privately
Adverb
-
The fantasy drama follows 10-year-old Bernardo, who after his father’s death, clings fiercely to his mother while secretly caring for an injured baby goat deep in the rainforest.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2026
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In Sylvie’s imagination, Nita becomes Anna, a sultry beauty with a cruel streak who has been dating the meek Christophe (Niney) while secretly engaging in an affair with their married boss, Pierre (Cassel).—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adverb
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SpaceX confidentially filed initial public offering (IPO) paperwork last month.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
9 May 2026
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Most public charities are used to reporting major donors confidentially to the IRS on Schedule B, with donor names redacted from public filings.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Privately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/privately. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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