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
There is plenty of raw data online, but much of it is harvested privately by platforms.
—
Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
But lobbying reports filed with the City Clerk’s Office show that the hotel, housing and marina developers were meeting privately with city officials as early as January.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
What was not known at the time was that Watson privately wrote to Rowling soon after the BAFTA event to express her concern for the author, according to Rowling.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
But privately, Ja Morant, the team’s 26-year-old franchise guard who relishes taking on elite defenders, was voicing displeasure with the system’s de-emphasis of pick-and-rolls.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Charles and Camilla were able to privately visit Francis on April 9 – a fortnight before the first Latin American pope died of a stroke and heart failure.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
This resistance isn’t surprising, as many members of Congress privately support these long-standing investments.
—Dr. Seth Berkley, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Multiple outlets like People reported that the Prince of Wales flew to Balmoral privately, without Kate Middleton and his children.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 26 Sep. 2025
This afternoon, he is scheduled to meet privately with several leaders at the event.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
But lobbying reports filed with the City Clerk’s Office show that the hotel, housing and marina developers were meeting privately with city officials as early as January.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025
What was not known at the time was that Watson privately wrote to Rowling soon after the BAFTA event to express her concern for the author, according to Rowling.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
But privately, Ja Morant, the team’s 26-year-old franchise guard who relishes taking on elite defenders, was voicing displeasure with the system’s de-emphasis of pick-and-rolls.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Charles and Camilla were able to privately visit Francis on April 9 – a fortnight before the first Latin American pope died of a stroke and heart failure.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
This resistance isn’t surprising, as many members of Congress privately support these long-standing investments.
—Dr. Seth Berkley, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Multiple outlets like People reported that the Prince of Wales flew to Balmoral privately, without Kate Middleton and his children.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 26 Sep. 2025
This afternoon, he is scheduled to meet privately with several leaders at the event.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for privately
Adverb
-
Trump secretly authorized military force against drug cartels in early August.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
There’s Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay, of course, but also Joe and his girlfriend, Rosa; Sam and the secretly gay matinee idol Tracy; Sam and Rosa; and Joe and his sister, Sarah (a brother in the book).—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
So these cases are almost always settled confidentially.—
Stayton Bonner,
Robb Report,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Tips can be made to the Arson Watch Reward Program confidentially and anonymously, fire officials said.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Privately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/privately. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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