closet
Americannoun
-
a small room, enclosed recess, or cabinet for storing clothing, food, utensils, etc.
-
a small private room, especially one used for prayer, meditation, etc.
-
a state or condition of secrecy or carefully guarded privacy.
Some conservatives remain in the closet except on election day. Gay liberation has encouraged many gay people to come out of the closet.
adjective
-
private; secluded.
-
suited for use or enjoyment in privacy.
closet reflections; closet prayer.
-
engaged in private study or speculation; speculative; unpractical.
a closet thinker with no practical experience.
-
being or functioning as such in private; secret.
a closet anarchist.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a small cupboard or recess
-
a small private room
-
short for water closet
-
(modifier) private or secret
-
(modifier) suited or appropriate for use in private
closet meditations
-
(modifier) based on or devoted to theory; speculative
a closet strategist
verb
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has closetedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have closetedperfect
-
am closetingprogressive 1st person singular
-
are closetingprogressive
-
closetingparticiple
-
has been closetingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
have been closetingperfect progressive
-
is closetingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
closetssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had closetedperfect
-
had been closetingperfect progressive
-
was closetingprogressive singular
-
closetedsimple
-
closetedparticiple
-
were closetingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of closet
1300–50; Middle English < Anglo-French, Middle French, equivalent to clos close (noun) + -et -et
Vocabulary lists containing closet
List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The closet is not just a social phenomenon.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
Yet as I wrangled them into my closet, something kept nagging at me like a pebble in an insole: Bernie Sanders’ eye-rolling dismissal outside the Senate elevator.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Heading upstairs, guests will find two large bedrooms that each boast their own walk-in closet and share a spacious bathroom with geometric tiles and a large soaking tub.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
From the start, Mr. Rollins understood the value of practicing long hours, which he did in his bedroom closet.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
He and Anastasia had decided that King of Worms probably liked living outdoors, underground, better than in a box in Sam's closet.
From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
