Home US English secret

Definition of secret in English:

secret

Pronunciation /ˈsēkrit/ /ˈsikrɪt/

See synonyms for secret

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adjective

  • 1Not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others.

    ‘how did you guess I had a secret plan?’
    • ‘the relationship was kept secret from the world for five years’
    • ‘His secret plans for a new and unconventional way of life have only just emerged from the letters he wrote to friends.’
    • ‘Even after the secret escape plan was revealed and all hell broke loose, the company held fast to its priorities.’
    • ‘This was a secret visit planned with military precision.’
    • ‘I first want to take you on on this idea that they're publishing secret war plans.’
    • ‘A few years ago, Michael Jackson planned a secret trip, making arrangements for as much privacy as possible.’
    • ‘Have the glitzy pair really called it quits, or are they planning a secret wedding?’
    • ‘A BBC programme claimed to have conclusive evidence of plans for a secret motorway linking the M65, A65 and A1.’
    • ‘The US is planning to introduce secret military tribunals which can impose the death penalty.’
    • ‘Could this be NASA's secret asteroid-destruction plan?’
    • ‘A secret organization were supposedly planning an act of terrorism.’
    • ‘They probably have secret meetings and plan world wars or something.’
    • ‘But she does seem to enjoy keeping things so secret that nobody knows what the hell is going on.’
    • ‘Keeping some detail more secret than another is certainly not uncommon in traditional Aboriginal religious affairs.’
    • ‘Katelyn passed him and he turned around, smiling at Jude as they did their little secret handshake.’
    • ‘I made it myself with the finest beans and a little secret ingredient of my own.’
    • ‘The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church are sealed into the Sistine Chapel for a very secret ballot.’
    • ‘Some conspiracy theorists believe the Priory of Sion to be one of the oldest and most powerful secret societies.’
    • ‘The Council shall vote by secret ballot in order to fill the vacancy expeditiously.’
    • ‘Keeping things secret is a phenomenal marketing tool.’
    • ‘Recruiters say that anonymity - the ability to keep clients' identities secret - is another valuable asset.’
    confidential, strictly confidential, top secret, classified, restricted, unrevealed, undisclosed, unpublished, untold, unknown, uncommunicated, behind someone's back, under wraps, unofficial, off the record, not for circulation, not for publication, not to be made public, not to be disclosed
    hidden, concealed
    clandestine, covert, undercover, underground, hidden, shrouded, conspiratorial, surreptitious, stealthy, cloak-and-dagger, hole-and-corner, closet
    cryptic, encoded, coded, enciphered, hidden, mysterious, abstruse, recondite, arcane, esoteric, cabbalistic
    secluded, private, concealed, hidden, sheltered, undisturbed, unfrequented, solitary, lonely, sequestered, out of the way, remote, isolated, off the beaten track, tucked away, cut-off
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1attributive Not meant to be known as such by others.
      ‘a secret drinker’
      • ‘Mr Hague reveals his history as a secret drinker in an interview published today in a glossy men's magazine.’
      • ‘And once you start talking, they will repeat what you say, and soon you will have a reputation of a secret drinker.’
      • ‘I'm a secret real ale drinker from time to time - could I be an English Democrat?’
      • ‘"Really, so I was a super secret weapon, a super soldier.’
      • ‘Or maybe it was just some sardonic concoction made by my real secret admirer!’
      • ‘We are the secret heroes of the world, the unknown saviors standing between all we know and love and the outer dark.’
      • ‘Angel has been getting emails from an unknown guy who claims is her secret admirer.’
      clandestine, covert, undercover, underground, hidden, shrouded, conspiratorial, surreptitious, stealthy, cloak-and-dagger, hole-and-corner, closet
      View synonyms
    2. 1.2Fond of or good at keeping things about oneself unknown.
      • ‘he can be the most secret man’
      uncommunicative, secretive, unforthcoming, reticent, private, media-shy, taciturn, silent, non-communicative, quiet, tight-lipped, close-mouthed, close, playing one's cards close to one's chest, clamlike, reserved, introvert, introverted, self-contained, discreet
      View synonyms
    3. 1.3US (of information or documents) given the security classification above confidential and below top secret.
      ‘They were secret documents which indicated and gave information about our involvement in Korea and North Vietnam, in both those wars.’
      • ‘In addition, prisoners and secret documents were captured.’
      • ‘It is hardly surprising that once the existence of the order leaked out, suspicions arose that the documents contained secret information not revealed at the Inquiry.’
      • ‘This is what chancellor Anthony Barber told the Tory government in the autumn of 1973, according to secret documents made public on New Year's Day.’
      • ‘The issue is whether they should be free to do so with Imutran's confidential and secret documents.’
      • ‘A secret memo from the prime minister was leaked to Rupert Murdoch's newspapers last week revealing just how in thrall Blair is to the right wing.’
      • ‘Fortunately for all concerned, the document had been overly classified and did not contain secret information.’
      • ‘Morse managed to get hypnotised secretaries to steal secret documents.’
      • ‘The compromise of classified secret information onto unclassified systems and networks is a growing problem in the DON.’
      • ‘In an interview with the magazine Der Spiegel, he compared journalists who were in the possession of secret documents with receivers of stolen goods.’
      • ‘Devaivre, who dominates most of the second half of the film, accidentally stumbles on a trove of German secret documents and photographs them.’
      • ‘Under the Official Secrets Act, the prosecution has only to prove that Gun passed secret information to an unauthorised person.’
      • ‘There is no indication Franklin had access to secret information about technology, communications codes or US covert operations.’
      • ‘In addition, he is accused of illegally possessing secret documents on military movements in and out of Guant?’
      • ‘Detention can be based on secret evidence - which the detainee and their counsel cannot see, hear, or challenge.’
      • ‘Some 61 countries have passed laws giving citizens the right to examine government records and other previously secret information.’
      • ‘But an investigation into whether he stole secret documents is raising questions about timing and dirty politics.’
      • ‘A fortnight before the crash the Foreign Office issued a secret memo banning all diplomatic staff from travelling with the airline.’
      • ‘There were some more probes and the inquiries into memos and maybe a leak and I think secret documents.’

noun

  • 1Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

    ‘a state secret’
    • ‘at first I tried to keep it a secret from my wife’
    • ‘But they're going to have to keep it a secret from everybody else…’
    • ‘Our families knew about it in advance and somehow managed to keep it a secret from me.’
    • ‘It also relates to hidden and unknown matters, secrets and private enemies.’
    • ‘In truth, how she died was unknown, a secret that remained with her family.’
    • ‘You had to keep your dirty little secret.’
    • ‘As confrontations ensue, a shameful family secret is revealed that will change their lives for ever.’
    • ‘When the girls discover his dirty little secret, they give him a taste of his own medicine.’
    • ‘Los Alamos National Laboratory is where the nation's nuclear secrets are kept and now, it appears, lost.’
    • ‘He would do everything in his power to make sure the family secret was not discovered.’
    • ‘Nerve gas was one of Hitler's darkest, best-kept secrets.’
    • ‘Hackers can leak trade secrets stolen from unprotected networks.’
    • ‘She tried to pretend she was revealing a dearly kept secret.’
    • ‘In England the home secretary is insisting that much government information will remain a state secret for 30 years.’
    • ‘Though a woman full grown, she still needed a reminder on the evils of keeping secrets from her parents.’
    • ‘Her true identity is a secret from her new friends and workmates.’
    • ‘He had succeeded in the balancing act of keeping secrets and informing the public.’
    • ‘One by one, Khmer Rouge leaders are taking their secrets to their graves.’
    • ‘And Jim liked to think he still had a few secrets up his sleeve.’
    • ‘The Soviets kept this fact a secret for many years after the flight.’
    • ‘They've been trying to keep that a secret from the public.’
    confidential matter, confidence, private affair
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1Something that is not properly understood; a mystery.
      ‘I'm not trying to explain the secrets of the universe in this book’
      • ‘I can't explore the country's culture properly and learn its secrets.’
      • ‘Tour the grounds and uncover the mysteries and secrets of its plant life.’
      • ‘This house is history personified with all its grandeur, mysteries and unravelled secrets.’
      • ‘Join the team for a gardening adventure and discover different mysteries and secrets about all things botanical.’
      • ‘What drives the attention of an audience is the unforeseeable, and the secrets and the mystery of a performance.’
      • ‘The secrets of The Mysterious Bog People are unravelled in a new exhibition.’
      • ‘So I now appeal to know, to unlock the secret of this mystery delicacy.’
      • ‘Like JFK and the O.J. Simpson case, the world needs its share of secrets and mysteries.’
      • ‘There are no mysteries and secrets that cannot be learned by persons of average intelligence.’
      • ‘Their goal is to discover the secrets behind the mysterious tower that Union has built on the northern island of Hokkaido.’
      • ‘In Asia today these drums are often associated with Indus Valley script, its secrets remaining a mystery.’
      • ‘Blavatksy may have understood the secret of the divine essence, but I don't think she understood the nature of hypnosis or mesmerism.’
      • ‘So the secret of the mysterious phone calls is solved… a little.’
      • ‘What's the secret behind these mysterious collapsing atoms?’
      • ‘In him, we find the secret of our own mysterious origins and the path of return to the Father's house.’
      • ‘Despite its utopian ideals, this specter hides a deep dark secret.’
      • ‘Scientists are working to unlock the secrets hidden in our genome.’
      • ‘In that discipline he thought he had found the key to the secrets of the universe.’
      • ‘To explore how you create some of your troubles would bring you uncomfortably close to your unknown inner secrets.’
      • ‘It brings to mind starry-eyed visions of Julius Cohen, paleontologist, plumbing the secrets of the unknown.’
      mystery, enigma, problem, paradox, puzzle, conundrum, poser, riddle, question, question mark
      View synonyms
    2. 1.2A valid but not commonly known or recognized method of achieving or maintaining something.
      ‘the secret of a happy marriage is compromise’
      • ‘The secret to achieving and maintaining healthy, young looking skin is balance in your life and skin care routine.’
      • ‘Their secret is the Taguchi Method, which is a technique for designing experiments that converge on an ideal product solution.’
      • ‘The secret, La Collins maintains, to her youthful flush is nothing other than petroleum jelly and water.’
      • ‘She maintains the secret of her long life is that she's never drank or smoked.’
      • ‘The secret to achieving your dreams is to do something every day that moves you closer to those dreams.’
      • ‘The secret to achieving your goals is mapping out a realistic plan to attainment, with measured success.’
      • ‘So what is the secret to achieving a truly green envelope?’
      • ‘The secret is in recognizing that major change is inevitable.’
      • ‘The secret to Field's method is that his demos are very small, requiring small amounts of material, energy, or money.’
      • ‘The secret to achieving excellence is taking advantage of opportunities.’
      • ‘The secret to maintaining this balance over the long haul is to avoid letting moderation turn into monotony.’
      • ‘Daily exercise and a strict diet are the common secrets of staying young.’
      • ‘You'll hear how these top companies built their business and learn the insider secrets to their success.’
      • ‘The secret to his success seemed to be less raw talent than hard work.’
      • ‘What would you tell a baby band these days is the secret to longevity?’
      • ‘Kit believes the secret to longevity is a healthy lifestyle.’
      • ‘A star student revealed to me the secret to doing this properly.’
      • ‘The secret to understanding Davies - one of the greatest female golfers to grace the game - is to understand this statement.’
      • ‘Maybe this strange talisman contained his secret to the mysteries of life.’
      • ‘The secret is understanding the key issues and making decisions about how to act on them.’
      recipe, formula, blueprint, magic formula, key, answer, solution
      View synonyms
    3. 1.3Formerly, the name of a prayer said by the priest in a low voice after the offertory in a Roman Catholic Mass.

Phrases

    in on the secret

    • Among the few people who know something.

      ‘his wife and children were in on the secret’
      • ‘only Linda was let in on the secret’
      • ‘His wife, Lynne, and children Craig and Rachel were in on the secret and helped to plan and organise the tribute.’
      • ‘The gig had been arranged in total secrecy and only her husband was in on the secret.’
      • ‘‘This idea of 420 being a ‘secret code’ is kind of funny, when you think that a third of the population is in on the secret.’
      • ‘It follows further that Alexander is in on the secret.’
      • ‘Then he smiles showing that he, too, is in on the secret.’
      • ‘I love knowing how it all works, being in on the secret.’
      • ‘I've also talked to a whole lot of people who one way or another were in on the secret.’
      • ‘Ben must have been in on the secret too, because he refused to take off his clothes.’
      • ‘How could one be in the secret and not take part (take a determinant part), in its structure?’
      • ‘And the light and curtain crews both appeared to be in on the secret.’
    make no secret of something

    • Make something perfectly clear.

      ‘they made no secret of their hatred for him’
      • ‘He's quite proud of that stance and makes no secret of it.’
      • ‘It strikes me that if I'm looking to make a fortune overnight - and I make no secret of it, I am - then poker may be the answer.’
      • ‘In the case that's true, then you've got to remember that he despises the Bush administration and made no secret of it.’
      • ‘But the important thing is that it was disclosed in the media in August of 1998 and he made no secret of it.’
      • ‘They come at the question with an agenda and make no secret of it.’
      • ‘Lloyds has made no secret of the fact that it wishes to steer clear of the volatile returns of investment banking.’
      • ‘The odd thing is that the administration, while making no secret of its disapproval, has launched no specific crackdown against strip clubs’
      • ‘The president has been making no secret of his profound concern over the regional situation.’
      • ‘The left makes no secret of its intentions where the Constitution is concerned.’
      • ‘Woodhill makes no secret of his desire to bring in new leadership to build a larger, more influential organization.’
    in secret

    • Without others knowing.

      ‘Is it acceptable that MPs should have the privilege of voting in secret?’
      • ‘He took them quickly and in secret, hiding the camera under a long, shabby overcoat.’
      • ‘Old forms of government have every reason to operate in secret, while denying just that privilege to subjects.’
      • ‘This deal was done entirely in secret, allegedly to prevent skyrocketing of land prices in the area.’
      • ‘There is nothing in the order that requires that these proceedings occur in secret.’
      • ‘There's also a guest appearance by the heartthrob singer whom she married in secret last June.’
      • ‘The man presumed to be Richard was buried in secret at a monastery in Hertfordshire and his remains moved to Westminster.’
      • ‘But the one was kept away from key witnesses, the other meets in secret and reports only to the prime minister.’
      • ‘But the most interesting evidence of the day may have been held in secret.’
      • ‘In typically British style, the deliberations were conducted in secret.’

Origin

Late Middle English from Old French, from Latin secretus (adjective) ‘separate, set apart’, from the verb secernere, from se- ‘apart’ + cernere ‘sift’.