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
Related article 7 simple secrets to eating the Mediterranean way Massari also recommends emulsifying the cheese and pasta water below 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit), which is in line with the new study’s findings on temperature. Francesca Giuliani Hoffman, CNN Money, 9 May 2025 Recent research shows that nearly one-third of employees using AI tools at work keep it a secret from their employers. Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Adjective
Erivo additionally portrays secret fifth sister, Felicity, a respected mixed-media artist, who now quietly lives off the grid in artistic solitude. Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 10 May 2025 Half an hour before Grayson and Addie Downs tied the knot on April 26 at Piney Grove Ranch in South Carolina, the groom did something in secret from his bride and their 170 wedding guests. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for secret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secret
Noun
  • Want to boost your confidence, income and career success?
    Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 19 May 2025
  • Today, Twine is announcing the launch of the Makers Mindset Accelerator: a premium video course designed to help CPG founders scale with clarity, confidence and strategy.
    Karin Eldor, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Joseph Vacher was executed via guillotine after he was found guilty of murder, but the true number of his victims remains a mystery Few know the name Joseph Vacher — even though his crimes surpassed those of the world’s most infamous serial killers.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • The identity of the man in the photo remained a mystery to the outside world until USA TODAY sought clarification from federal officials.
    Rick Jervis, USA Today, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • The magnetic strip on their room key stops working after their cellphone gets too close and demagnetizes it.
    Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2025
  • Proton Mail encourages you to save a recovery key in the form of a lengthy code and a QR code, but that recovery key itself now becomes a weakness.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • Gaddafi agreed to suspend his country's nuclear weapons program in December 2003, following years of clandestine negotiations that began during the Clinton administration and continued under George W. Bush.
    Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
  • Alongside the harbour in Lerwick are five fishing boats, once part of the clandestine Anglo-Norwegian Shetland Bus mission, and the wartime cargo ship Hestmanden.
    Heather Farmbrough, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Samuel French, a Texas actor on the rise who portrayed the undercover FBI agent CJ Robinson in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, has died.
    Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025
  • Pisano has been with the show since his 2021 debut as undercover officer Detective Joe Velasco.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Photo : Nils Timm The wellness center’s fitness room opens to a secluded patio.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 14 May 2025
  • Souter was perfectly happy with his secluded life in Weare, New Hampshire, living with his elderly mother in a ramshackle cabin in the woods.
    Barbara A. Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • But in a possible attempt to discredit Pryor, her name and some details of her confidential complaint, available only to the mayor, commissioners and senior city employees, have been circulated publicly.
    Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 10 May 2025
  • The organizations kept talking, though, and agreed to settle for a confidential sum, averting a jury trial.
    Kevin Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Spectators heading to matches can take advantage of the inclusion of public transport in their ticket and avoid the stress of driving and parking, save money and get into the festival atmosphere with other travelling fans.
    Claire Poole, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • The New York team will look to punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night (May 14) in Boston, and the Celtics could be without superstar Jayson Tatum, who left the game with a lower leg injury late in the fourth quarter.
    Michael Saponara, Billboard, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secret. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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