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top secret

adjective

Definition of top secretnext
as in confidential
kept completely hidden from the public by high government officials top secret documents The mission is top secret.

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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 top secret The planning and details of the meeting were supposed to be kept top secret because of its highly sensitive nature. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding was so top secret that even one of their celebrity guests, Pat McAfee, initially thought his digital invitation was a scam. — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 15 July 2026 Most of the information in question was classified as top secret, according to the indictment. — Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 26 June 2026 Hugo is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes to arrange for Daniel’s theft of the top secret materials. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for top secret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for top secret
  1. confidential
  2. personal
  3. restricted
  4. classified
  5. private
  6. esoteric
Adjective
  • Grand jury proceedings are kept confidential to allow people to testify freely without worrying about consequences and so that the subjects of an investigation are not unfairly tainted before the jury can decide whether to file charges against them.
    — Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The two sides reached a confidential settlement in 2019 without a ruling on the merits of his claim.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of confidential
Adjective
  • Alas, poor Bryan is about to learn the hard way that change — as the saying goes — is as hard to outrun as an ever-growing zombie rat king with 37 different limbs and a weirdly personal vendetta.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In 1981, Soviet spy Vladimir Kuzichkin offered up critical insider information on Iran’s Tudeh Party to Britain’s MI6 in exchange for discreet assistance with a personal affliction that was at the heart of his marital troubles.
    — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of personal
Adjective
  • Those operating a drone in a restricted area could face fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time, under federal regulations.
    — Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • However, if a foreign heir without Mexican citizenship is set to receive property in a restricted zone (such as the coast or borders), the property will typically be held in a fideicomiso, or bank trust.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of restricted
Adjective
  • Roughly half an hour in, Yabuki meets Gwen (Lily James), an FBI agent on a classified assignment to look for the missing daughter of a high-ranking politician and potential Vice President of the United States.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Even worse, her father went missing nearly a year ago while serving on a classified government mission.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of classified
Adjective
  • Taurus April 20 – May 20 Something private may finally make more sense to you.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Backstory This historic property was originally a private homestead that transitioned into a store in the late 1700s and finally turned into a guest house in the 20th century.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of private
Adjective
  • Their job is to reduce the world to a series of numbers that can be punched into increasingly complex statistical equations and published in esoteric journals with high barriers to entry and minuscule readerships.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Another challenge is that though the Langlands program is sweeping and unifying, the mathematical correspondences themselves are excruciatingly specific and esoteric.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of esoteric

Browse Nearby Words

tops
top secret
top-shelf
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Cite this Entry

“Top secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/top%20secret. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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