secrete

verb

si-ˈkrēt How to pronounce secrete (audio)
Definition of secretenext
as in to conceal
to put into a hiding place the police found the weapon secreted under the driver's seat of the getaway car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word secrete distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of secrete are bury, conceal, hide, and screen. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

Where would bury be a reasonable alternative to secrete?

The words bury and secrete can be used in similar contexts, but bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

In what contexts can conceal take the place of secrete?

In some situations, the words conceal and secrete are roughly equivalent. However, conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

When might hide be a better fit than secrete?

While in some cases nearly identical to secrete, hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

When could screen be used to replace secrete?

While the synonyms screen and secrete are close in meaning, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

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 secrete The love letter was secreted in cardboard stuffing inside the new pair of argyle socks, which a Manhattan Supreme Court officer passed on to Mangione from his defense team ahead of his Feb. 21 court appearance. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025 And active neurons secrete a substance that acts like fuel to accelerate tumor growth. —Jon Hamilton, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025 Your immune system forms memory cells to remember what to do with each thing and plasma cells to quickly secrete antibodies specifically against things that were recognized as bad. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 Your brain responds by secreting the hormone vasopressin. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for secrete
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secrete
  1. conceal
  2. hide
  3. bury
Verb
  • Immigration advocates, attorneys and civil litigators are warning against the normalization of federal agents concealing their faces while detaining nonviolent students.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The real debate was, of course, little different — except that millions of Americans could now see in real time what Biden’s intimate associates had been concealing from them for many months.
    — Fintan O’Toole, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of conceal
Verb
  • Rogers was found hiding under a bridge nearby and was arrested, authorities said.
    — Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The couple went viral in 2022 when food blogger Carissa Stanton moved into their former Venice, Calif., home and found old photographs of Dann and Karen hidden in the fireplace.
    — Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Most of those minerals are currently buried beneath thick sheets of previously impenetrable ice.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Two to three weeks after burying the branch, check for new roots.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of bury

Browse Nearby Words

secret ballots
secrete
secreted
See all Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Secrete.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secrete. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of secrete for Spanish Speakers

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