adverb

• In a secret way; without others knowing.

  ‘the two were secretly married in 1751’

  More example sentences

  • ‘I was embarrassed, but secretly pleased too’
  • ‘Villeneuve says union agents secretly staying at the hotel told him of the practice.’
  • ‘They had booked a table at a restaurant for dinner and Mr Mears had secretly made plans to propose to her that evening.’
  • ‘They marked their special day with a family celebration, planned secretly by their children.’
  • ‘His remains were secretly buried, so that they would not become a place of worship.’
  • ‘We love poker, says Alvarez, because we are all secretly in love with America.’

  Synonyms

  covertly, without anyone knowing, in secret, in private, privately, in confidence, confidentially, behind closed doors, behind the scenes, behind someone's back, under cover, under the counter, discreetly, unobserved, quietly, furtively, stealthily, on the sly, on the quiet, privily, conspiratorially, clandestinely, on the side

  privately, in one's heart, in one's heart of hearts, in one's innermost thoughts

  View synonyms