as in secretly
in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others
she confided to me privately that she was considering divorce
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of privately
Vance, who privately voiced his concerns about conflict with Iran in the lead-up to the war, is pugnacious and transactional.
—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2026
The details remain murky, but the investment fund would be financed privately and not by US taxpayers, according to the administration.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
People and institutions that express support privately, but will not support it publicly.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
26 June 2026
Still, a relationship dynamic could press on old fears around trust, rejection or losing control, but privately processing the trigger will serve you better than overexerting yourself.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
The area of Texas where Gracie is wandering is extremely rural, with many ranches that are privately owned, along with foliage and rough terrain.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Stretching from the town of Pacific Grove to just above Carmel-by-the-Sea, the road (privately owned by Pebble Beach) skirts the Pacific coast and runs past seven championship golf courses.
—
Sarah Rose,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2026
Reportedly Vance was left out of the war room at Mar-a-Lago and privately opposed the war.
—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Some close to the White House acknowledge that Vance, who is inextricably tied to Trump’s decision to launch the war in the first place despite being privately skeptical of the decision, is in a difficult spot.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
24 June 2026
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2026
The details remain murky, but the investment fund would be financed privately and not by US taxpayers, according to the administration.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
People and institutions that express support privately, but will not support it publicly.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
26 June 2026
Still, a relationship dynamic could press on old fears around trust, rejection or losing control, but privately processing the trigger will serve you better than overexerting yourself.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
The area of Texas where Gracie is wandering is extremely rural, with many ranches that are privately owned, along with foliage and rough terrain.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
Stretching from the town of Pacific Grove to just above Carmel-by-the-Sea, the road (privately owned by Pebble Beach) skirts the Pacific coast and runs past seven championship golf courses.
—
Sarah Rose,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2026
Reportedly Vance was left out of the war room at Mar-a-Lago and privately opposed the war.
—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Some close to the White House acknowledge that Vance, who is inextricably tied to Trump’s decision to launch the war in the first place despite being privately skeptical of the decision, is in a difficult spot.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for privately
Adverb
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Sophie secretly reads her mother’s diary and invites three of her mother’s suitors from the 1970s to her wedding, signing her mother’s name.
-
The complaint alleges a church volunteer secretly placed a recording device inside the restroom during Summer Jam, the church's three-night program for children entering grades 1 through 5.
Adverb
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Previously, OpenAI was widely expected to go for an IPO in 2026, and the company led by CEO Sam Altman confidentially filed to go public on June 8.
-
Anthropic and OpenAI have each confidentially submitted IPO paperwork to the SEC, though neither has set a public offering date.
Cite this Entry
“Privately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/privately. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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