secrecy

[see-kruh-see]

noun

plural

secrecies 

1. the state or condition of being secret, hidden, or concealed.

   a meeting held in secrecy.

   Synonyms: covertness, stealth, privacy, confidentiality

2. the state of being apart from other people; privacy; seclusion.

3. ability to keep a secret.

4. the habit or characteristic of being secretive; reticence.

5. Archaic.,  something that is secret or mysterious.

   the secrecies of nature.

secrecy

/ ˈsiːkrɪsɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being secret

2. the state of keeping something secret

3. the ability or tendency to keep things secret

Other Word Forms

• antisecrecy adjective
• nonsecrecy noun
• prosecrecy adjective
• semisecrecy noun
• supersecrecy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of secrecy¹

1375–1425; obsolete secre (< Middle French secré secret ) + -cy; replacing late Middle English secretee, equivalent to secre + -tee -ty ²

Example Sentences

Of course, all that sauce secrecy is also good marketing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some describe a pattern of power being concentrated at the top, with secrecy becoming routine and transparency rare.

Read more on BBC

"I think that's probably part of the big issue of transparency and accountability, and also the secrecy of decisions made in the background," he said.

Read more on Barron's

GTA VI, whose development ahead of its May 26, 2026 release has been shrouded in secrecy, is on course to become one of the biggest entertainment product launches of all time.

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It cloaked investigations by the courts’ internal watchdog, the Judicial Standards Commission, in secrecy and gave the Supreme Court veto power on sanctions and whether cases became public.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• confidence 
• confidentiality www.thesaurus.com
• isolation 
• mystery 
• reticence 
• silence 
• solitude