1
a
: kept from knowledge or view : hidden
b
: marked by the habit of discretion : closemouthed
c
: working with hidden aims or methods : undercover
a secret agent
d
: not acknowledged : unavowed
a secret bride
e
: conducted in secret
a secret trial
2
: remote from human frequentation or notice : secluded
3
: revealed only to the initiated : esoteric
4
: designed to elude observation or detection
a secret panel
5
: containing information whose unauthorized disclosure could endanger national security compare confidential, top secret
secretly
adverb
1
a
: something kept hidden or unexplained : mystery
b
: something kept from the knowledge of others or shared only confidentially with a few
c
: a method, formula, or process used in an art or operation and divulged only to those of one's own company or craft : trade secret
d
secrets plural
: the practices or knowledge making up the shared discipline or culture of an esoteric society
2
: a prayer traditionally said inaudibly by the celebrant just before the preface of the mass
3
: something taken to be a specific or key to a desired end
the secret of longevity
Synonyms
Examples of secret in a Sentence
Adjective
Her secret wish is to become a senator.
The message was written in secret code.
I don't know the secret password.
He was sent on a secret mission.
They engaged in secret negotiations with the enemy.
She tried to keep her marriage secret.
They've been very secret about their plans.
Noun
Don't tell him about the party—it's a secret.
I'm going to tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else.
You always look great. What's your secret?
She shared her beauty secrets with the group.
The secret to a good sauce is the base.
the secrets of the universe
one of nature's greatest secrets
Recent Examples on the Web
Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
The movie shows Carville on his daily round of calls with his secret Democratic think tank of smart, connected journalists and operatives who have been talking every day since the early ’90s.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
If the stove is the heart of the Southern kitchen, well the junk drawer is the hidden secret.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for secret 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Adjective
Louisville Pizza Week returns Nov. 11-17 with almost a dozen restaurants offering their take on pizza, from signature pies to secret menu specialties and more, all for $10.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
The movie shows Carville on his daily round of calls with his secret Democratic think tank of smart, connected journalists and operatives who have been talking every day since the early ’90s.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
Those who attend Saturday’s taping and competition are asked to keep the winner secret until the broadcast airs (a separate Best in Show winner is named at Sunday’s show).
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024
If the stove is the heart of the Southern kitchen, well the junk drawer is the hidden secret.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for secret
Dictionary Entries Near secret
Cite this Entry
“Secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secret. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
secret
1 of 2 adjective
se·cret
ˈsē-krət 
1
a
: hidden or kept from knowledge or view
b
: working in secret as a spy or detective : undercover
a secret agent
2
: secluded sense 1
a secret valley
secretly
adverb
secret
2 of 2 noun1
a
: something that cannot be explained : mystery
b
: something kept from the knowledge of others or shared only privately with a few
2
: something taken to be necessary to gain a desired end
the secret of a long life
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