secretively

Definition of secretivelynext

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 secretively Early modern Europe was not an ideal place to enforce intellectual property rights, which in those days existed only when technologies could be secretively monopolized by a guild. Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secretively
Adverb
  • Unlike Monday's burial for Princess Irene, which follows a Saturday prayer service in Madrid and a funeral Monday at Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, the Tatoi interment for Sofia's mother, Queen Federica of Greece, was not official, and took place almost furtively.
    Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 18 Jan. 2026
  • This has become the central theme of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City—probably the most chaotic show in its franchise—whose characters are always trying to root out which of their frenemies is furtively digging up dirt and spreading rumors about their legal or financial woes.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Some Gen Z have been desperately trying to break into the job market, sending out thousands of applications, standing on Wall Street with a sign begging for a job, and waitressing at industry conferences to stealthily hand out their resumes.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025
  • Two minutes later, while moving through the crowd, I was stealthily pickpocketed and spent hours the next day at the police station filing a theft report.
    Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Fox said the exchange between him and Wasser when he was called back to the restaurant took about 10-12 seconds, but defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo suggested on Monday that the pair may have surreptitiously searched the backpack at that time and found the gun — or potentially planted it.
    Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025
  • In a way, I am being surreptitiously employed by the owner for two minutes.
    Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
Adverb
  • The difference is that many organizations do so covertly to maximize profits.
    Ben Cohen, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
  • These brave whistleblowers spent seven years and countless hours collaborating with us, recording, investigating, and covertly transmitting files to investigate crimes perpetrated by corrections officers tasked with protecting, not harming, the men in their care.
    Andrew Jarecki & Charlotte Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 Jan. 2026
Adverb
  • With a comfy design and a sleek hue, the trend is sneakily elegant and easy to mix and match with other closet staples.
    Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Layer it with the Camnow Cropped Puffer Jacket that’s a total staple winter coat, and suddenly your airport look feels sneakily stylish, comfy, and totally ready for whatever the forecast or your itinerary throws at you.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2025
Adverb
  • Panahi has spent most of his career making films clandestinely, without approval of authorities, and was until recently banned from leaving the country.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 11 Jan. 2026
  • The original cover disappeared — in fact, was kept and sold clandestinely by a CBS executive for around $25,000 and later re-sold by Anonymous for over $250,000.
    David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
Adverb
  • The show's Broadway run marks a milestone for a show that began as a buzzy, underground delight.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Furthermore, shooting underground allowed the story to explore how a major metropolitan city such as Berlin would respond to a hostage situation, especially one with an international element and British authorities also involved.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Secretively.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secretively. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!