secretly

[ see-krit-lee ]

adverb

1. in a way that is kept from the knowledge of others or is designed to escape their notice:

   He later discovered that the couple had secretly married in a discreet ceremony six months ago.

   Many of the wood and stone looks you see in homes every day are secretly vinyl flooring.

Other Words From

• non·se·cret·ly adverb
• qua·si-se·cret·ly adverb
• sem·i·se·cret·ly adverb
• ul·tra·se·cret·ly adverb
• un·se·cret·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of secretly¹

secret ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The companies aren’t likely to reveal all the tricks and commercial secrets they used to make the vaccines, says Sanjay Mishra, a protein chemist and data scientist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

From Science News

Then there’s Jimin’s plaintive, cheery tenor, which always turns him into the cuddliest, secret-keeping member of your slumber party.

From Vox

She starts keeping a lot of secrets from her mother, an academic secretary.

From Vox

In college, I remember thinking if a celebrity like Diana can keep a secret like that, I can do it and no one will notice.

From Washington Post

I wished Zelda would have been as vital and essential as Link throughout the story and that she would have revealed more secrets about herself, but that wasn’t to be for most of the game.

From Washington Post

While many Hawaiians still secretly worshipped the old gods, kapu was dead as a public pillar of the social structure.

From The Daily Beast

Britain refuses to listen, but has shocked the art world by secretly loaning one of the antiquities to Russia.

From The Daily Beast

But secretly rooting for the good Israelis and wishing them success is one thing.

From The Daily Beast

He proceeds to tease me, asking if our interview is “secretly a date?”

From The Daily Beast

As other prisoners took advantage of the rehabilitation programs offered, Lane and Opperud secretly planned an escape.

From The Daily Beast

He had not estimated that if Jean Baptiste sought his wife secretly, it must have been because he wished to avoid him.

From Project Gutenberg

Seeing that this would not be conceded, he commenced to persecute Christians openly and secretly.

From Project Gutenberg

It is said that the governor has money taken from the royal treasury secretly at night.

From Project Gutenberg

Who among us would fail to believe what we have, perhaps, secretly wished for in our heart of hearts?

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Armine was fatigued by the journey, and by the long day at Denderah, which had secretly depressed her.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• clandestinely
• covertly
• furtively
• personally
• privately
• quietly
• stealthily
• surreptitiously