in private

Idioms  

1. Not in public; secretly, confidentially. For example, The hearings will be conducted in private, or May I speak to you in private? [Late 1500s] For an antonym, see in public.

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Example Sentences

Old Hunter, an ex-police detective now working in private security, disturbs Chen’s depressive apathy with a request that he help find a man called X, a former philosophy professor who ran afoul of authorities.

From The Wall Street Journal

Market watchers warn that the growth in private markets means that only those with wealth and access will benefit.

From The Wall Street Journal

Doing so can be as simple as keeping truth—and sound economic policy—alive in private conversation within the business community.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dimon spent the back half of the year both praising the administration in public while pushing back hard in private against policies that he believed were wrong-footed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Iglesias's entourage has denied the accusations in private and is shocked, Hola! added.

From Barron's

Related Words

• covert
• enigmatic
• reticent
• taciturn