Synonyms of secretly

secretly

adverb

as in privately

in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others

the girl secretly told her friends about the birthday party so it would be a surprise to the birthday girl

Synonyms & Similar Words

• privately
• confidentially
• in private
• intimately
• backstage
• in camera
• covertly
• clandestinely
• inwardly
• à deux
• tête-à-tête
• surreptitiously
• furtively
• secretively
• stealthily
• sneakily
• conspiratorially
• collusively
• underhandedly
• sotto voce
• underground
• undercover
• offstage
• offscreen
• underhanded
• underhand

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• publicly
• openly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of secretly

Ding was charged in 2024 with stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets from Google while secretly working with two companies based in China. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Bishop Felix Davidek responded by secretly ordaining married men and some women, including Ludmila Javorová. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Even more concerning, the fake installer shows one command on the screen while secretly copying another. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Meanwhile, conservative activists spread rumors last week that Talarico was struggling with his mental health and had secretly retreated to an Ohio hospital. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026

Both Chun-Li and her boss have ulterior motives, Bison seeking to exploit the fighters’ powers for his own nefarious end and Chun-Li secretly an Interpol agent seeking to take Bison down for having murdered her father. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

The financial data firm Shook Research found itself in the headlines this summer after its founder secretly paid $6 million to the top editor of Forbes, one of the company’s key partners. — Benjamin Mullin, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

The woman said Frisco police contacted her in August and showed her nude images that had been secretly recorded without her knowledge. — S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Hence, the user shouldn’t be able to secretly record other people’s conversations verbatim. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026