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Synonyms

in secret

Idioms  

  1. Unknown to others, privately. For example, They met in secret, or, as Shakespeare put it in Love's Labour's Lost (5:2): “One word in secret.” [Second half of 1400s]

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.

In secret, Zo managed to collect the resistance stories of women who had served in the war.

From BBC • Aug. 3, 2024

In secret cables made public by WikiLeaks, they noted that previous Chinese investment in Congo had been “an informal, somewhat disorganized collection of Chinese businesses” that did not seriously threaten U.S. interests.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2021

In secret recordings provided by the Security Service during the trial the court heard that the tapes revealed:

From The Guardian • Nov. 13, 2020

“Oh, I’m retired now but once did I work In secret for this country’s CIA. A dog can go where he wants and just lurk. And overhear whatever bad guys say.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 3, 2020

In secret ballot we voted unanimously to keep him.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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.