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Definitions

secretly

[see-krit-lee] / ˈsi krɪt li /
ADVERB
in hidden manner
Synonyms
STRONGEST
clandestinely covertly furtively personally privately quietly stealthily surreptitiously
WEAK
behind closed doors behind someone's back by stealth confidentially hush-hush in camera in confidence in holes and corners in secret in strict confidence insidiously intimately obscurely on the Q.T. on the quiet on the sly privily slyly sub-rosa under the table underhandedly unobserved
Antonyms
STRONGEST
publicly
WEAK
openly

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.

One woman from Adusah's church - who later gave a statement to UK police - said Charmain had secretly obtained a second phone because Adusah had confiscated her main one.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

But we secretly dream about bonding while walking the fairways.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Harrison is not so secretly one of the funnier people I know.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Google last year identified more than 10 million Android devices that came with Ipidea’s residential proxy software secretly pre-installed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

But secretly, I bet it’s easier not to care what people think of you when you’re Gram’s age than when you’re twelve.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish