secret 1 of 2

1
as in confidence
information shared only with another or with a select few you didn't really expect him to keep a secret from his wife, did you?

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2
as in mystery
something hard to understand or explain the secrets of the Egyptian pyramids include the construction methods used to lift the huge blocks of stone in place

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3

secret

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
as in undercover
working on missions in which one's objectives, activities, or true identity are not publicly revealed secret agents whose wartime exploits were known only by top government officials

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3
as in secluded
screened or sequestered from view a secret cave that is screened by trees

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4

Synonym Chooser

How is the word secret distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of secret are clandestine, covert, furtive, stealthy, surreptitious, and underhanded. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

When would clandestine be a good substitute for secret?

While the synonyms clandestine and secret are close in meaning, clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

In what contexts can covert take the place of secret?

In some situations, the words covert and secret are roughly equivalent. However, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

When is furtive a more appropriate choice than secret?

The synonyms furtive and secret are sometimes interchangeable, but furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

When is it sensible to use stealthy instead of secret?

The words stealthy and secret can be used in similar contexts, but stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

Where would surreptitious be a reasonable alternative to secret?

The words surreptitious and secret are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

When could underhanded be used to replace secret?

While in some cases nearly identical to secret, underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

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 secret
Noun
Maybe that’s the takeaway — keeping secrets to yourself is often doomed to fail. Kate Aurthur, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025 At the same time, the detective assigned to the case begins to uncover secrets about Scout, along with an unsettling breakthrough in Georgia’s death. Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
After all, the guy was a Marvel movie producer so knows all about unexplainable superpowers and secret identities. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025 In the name of safeguarding the secret mission of the spaceship, HAL kills the crew members. Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for secret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secret
Noun
  • The captain also saw what everyone else did on Saturday, too — Michkov’s confidence seems to be on the rise.
    Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Truly’s confidence and abilities certainly don’t appear to be an issue.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In the leadup to its debut, the Apple TV/Sony Pictures Television show has been shrouded in secrecy — a decision that lends itself supremely well to a mystery-box sci-fi thriller that is equal parts philosophical conundrum and blood-chilling horror.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
  • When the day of the follow-up scan finally arrived, the mystery was solved—not triplets, but twins.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Winning back those existing consumers who remember the glamor and delight of an old-fashioned department store shopping spree is the key, says Bines.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2025
  • At Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph, guests receive room keys that double as all-access passes to local museums and galleries through the hotel’s Unlock Art program.
    Essence, Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • In exchange, the agent told the pilot in a clandestine meeting, the aviator would be made a very rich man.
    Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 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
  • About three hours from the city by bus or Uber to Angra dos Reis, followed by a 30-minute water-taxi ride, this car-free island offers pristine, secluded beaches like Lopes Mendes as well as rainforest hikes.
    Aaron Randolph, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Gantner guides pro skier and friend Jake Hopfinger to secluded Lake Superior waterfalls and then deeper into the Hiawatha National Forest, which draws a fraction of the crowds of comparable destinations like Acadia National Park, with equally dynamic shorelines.
    Outside, Outside, 4 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
  • Major airlines like American, Delta, Southwest, United and Frontier are all waiving fees for passengers who want to change their tickets.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
  • While her annual lists always have great big-ticket presents (think the newest Apple AirPods and soft-to-the-touch loungewear), there are also plenty of affordable goodies to wrap up or gift as stocking stuffers.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secret. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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