secret 1 of 2

noun

Definition of secretnext
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?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in key
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal the secret to advancement in this company is hard work and dedication

Synonyms & Similar Words

secret

2 of 2

adjective

ˈsē-krət How to pronounce secret (audio)
1
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others a secret operation to rescue captive soldiers behind enemy lines

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in secluded
screened or sequestered from view a secret cave that is screened by trees

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in confidential
not known or meant to be known by the general populace proprietary information that the company does its best to keep secret

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The couples share a code phrase that means a secret that must be tucked away even from a spouse. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025 What's your secret to a successful overnight flight? — Colin Demarest, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
While the brand strived to keep the location secret, plenty of Stays — the fandom name for Stray Kids — turned out to scream for Felix, the K-pop star and Louis Vuitton ambassador who also walked in the show. — Rhonda Richford, WWD, 10 Mar. 2025 Obsidian, for one, had a secret staircase that led to the study and a sunken lounge on the main deck. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for secret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secret
  1. confidence
  2. mystery
  3. key
  4. clandestine
  5. undercover
  6. secluded
  7. confidential
  8. ticket
Noun
  • Keep doing it Knowing oneself, projecting confidence, building community and working together is essential.
    — John Baldoni, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Idaho officials have expressed confidence in state elections before, the Statesman previously reported.
    — Carolyn Komatsoulis, Idaho Statesman, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of confidence
Noun
  • The murder mystery, sci-fi, natural catastrophe tale hooks its viewers within the first few scenes and doesn’t let go until the very last scene, and even then, you’re left wanting more.
    — Dana Feldman, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • There needs to be a little bit of mystery left, right?
    — Alison Edmond, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of mystery
Noun
  • The keyboard and trackpad are great as usual: backlit keys, over 1mm of travel, large trackpad that can be tapped or clicked anywhere, with tremendous haptic feedback.
    — Ben Sin, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Playing it low key during testing was Red Bull, which, again, won the Drivers’ Championship title with Max Verstappen for the fourth straight year in 2024.
    — Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of key
Adjective
  • The illicitly mined resources, which included valuable minerals and precious stones, were smuggled out of the country through clandestine networks, bypassing official regulatory controls for the benefit of consortium members at the expense of the state coffers.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2025
  • For those hoping to wed immediately, whether to avoid family scrutiny or cover up an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, clandestine marriages performed by Anglican clergy offered a welcome alternative.
    — Alexandra Cox, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • Watch Captain America: Civil War on Disney+ Black Widow After the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha is on the run and reunites with Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), her undercover younger sister who also trained in the Red Room.
    — Jacqueline Weiss, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The vast majority of undercover U.S. intelligence officers work out of embassies and consulates, posing as diplomats, and the closure of diplomatic posts would reduce the CIA's options for where to position its spies.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • This rich heritage is reflected in the area's local cuisine, although the exclusive area is better known today for its magnificent oceanfront homes and secluded estates.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Retreats at the Pearl Laguna feel exceptionally secluded and restorative despite being only 30 minutes from Disneyland.
    — Visit California, AFAR Media, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of secluded
Adjective
  • The size of the total reserve is confidential, but estimates are commonly in the hundreds of millions of tons.
    — Scott L. Montgomery, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and a federal-district court both ruled that prosecutors had not violated Holberg's rights by failing to disclose Kirkpatrick's status as a confidential informant.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of confidential
Noun
  • With more auditions to come, only time will tell if King got the coveted ticket to Hollywood to continue in the competition.
    — Chyna Blackmon, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Only one other team, the Houston Astros, offers a median price for Opening Day tickets above $300 – placing both Texas teams in the top four on the Gametime chart.
    — Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of ticket

Phrases Containing secret

Browse Nearby Words

secret
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secret. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on secret

Nglish: Translation of secret for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All