secret 1 of 2

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?

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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

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3

secret

2 of 2

adjective

1
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

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

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4

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 secret to creating a powerful home cleaner might already be in your fridge. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2025 Their connection is immediate, intense, and impossibly dangerous — a love story shaped by vengeance, secrets, and emotional reckoning. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 June 2025
Adjective
Rumors of secret deals and under-the-table payments have circulated for years. Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025 There’s no bouncer who will listen to you whisper a secret word, but rather, a key card that scans you in. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for secret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secret
Noun
  • Investors may perceive such appointments as a sign of internal uncertainty, potentially impacting stock performance and stakeholder confidence.
    Solange Charas, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Want to boost your confidence, income and career success?
    Megan Sauer, CNBC, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Adding to the mystery, Teleios emits only in radio wavelengths, with a hint of hydrogen-alpha emissions.
    Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 29 May 2025
  • Their quest: to finally solve the mystery of the Nameless and their connection to the Force, and to stop the blight before its damage becomes irreversible.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • Despite its slim design, the interior holds more than meets the eye — think phone, wallet, sunglasses, keys, and then some.
    Taylor Jean Stephan, People.com, 26 May 2025
  • Dorn and the others were given laptops and shown the different functions of keys: control, shift and caps lock, how to copy and paste.
    Barbara Ortutay, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • Syria under Assad is believed to have operated an extensive clandestine nuclear program, which included an undeclared nuclear reactor built by North Korea in eastern Deir el-Zour province.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 June 2025
  • The only way to pre-empt detection by these IAEA watchdogs would be for Ukraine to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and expel the atomic inspectors, but those moves would amount to trumpeting Kyiv’s clandestine quest to develop a nuclear warhead.
    Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Adjective
  • So is this mystery novel secretly the story of The Gilded Age and is this an undercover crossover?
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 6 June 2025
  • The missing money controlled by Velazquez was supposed to go toward undercover narcotics operations.
    Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • Picture this: a luxurious, private oasis within the ship, complete with its own secluded decks, personalized butler service, and exclusive dining options that elevate your entire cruise experience.
    Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • The group then drove to Chelsea, where Vasquez and other MS-13 members led the victim to a secluded area under the highway — where an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock, and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, a confidential report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Saturday.
    Stephanie Liechtenstein, Christian Science Monitor, 31 May 2025
  • However, the university, according to the lawsuit, stated in its response that many additional records had been withheld due to their relation to legal actions, confidential information or privileged communications with lawyers.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Her dad bought the winning ticket from the East Boston Corner Market in East Boston, according to the lottery.
    Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
  • In a break from recent years, neither event is raising its starting ticket price this year.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secret. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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