Secret (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Communicated covertly; "their secret signal was a wink"; "secret messages".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The spy used a secret code to transmit the information to her colleagues.
- The two friends exchanged secret glances across the room, trying not to arouse suspicion.
- The whistleblower sent a secret email to the journalist, revealing the company's financial scandal.
- The secret handshake was a ritual known only to members of the exclusive club.
- The encrypted file contained secret documents that only authorized personnel could access.
Meaning 2
(of information) given in confidence or in secret; "this arrangement must be kept confidential"; "their secret communications".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Not expressed; "secret (or private) thoughts".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- She kept her secret thoughts hidden behind a mask of happiness.
- He had a secret fear that he would never be able to overcome his anxiety.
- She was shocked to discover that her seemingly confident friend had secret doubts about her abilities.
- His secret hopes and dreams were locked away in a private journal.
- The patient revealed her secret feelings of sadness during the therapy session.
Synonyms
Meaning 4
The next to highest level of official classification for documents.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The classified document was stamped "secret" and locked away in a secure filing cabinet.
- Access to the secret documents was restricted to personnel with high-level clearance.
- The whistleblower claimed to have uncovered a secret government project hidden from public view.
- The confidential memo was labeled "secret" and not shared with anyone outside the department.
- Only those with the highest security clearance were authorized to view the secret files.
Meaning 5
Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods; "clandestine intelligence operations"; "cloak-and-dagger activities behind enemy lines"; "hole-and-corner intrigue"; "secret missions"; "a secret agent"; "secret sales of arms"; "surreptitious mobilization of troops"; "an undercover investigation"; "underground resistance".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company was involved in secret negotiations with the rival firm to discuss a potential merger.
- The government was accused of conducting secret surveillance on its citizens without their knowledge or consent.
- The secret meeting between the two world leaders was not disclosed to the public until months later.
- The secret society had been operating in the shadows for decades, pulling the strings of power from behind the scenes.
- The journalist's secret investigation into the corrupt politician's dealings led to a major scandal that rocked the nation.
Synonyms
Meaning 6
Designed to elude detection; "a hidden room or place of concealment such as a priest hole"; "a secret passage"; "the secret compartment in the desk".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The mansion had a secret room that was only accessible through a hidden panel in the library.
- The old house had a secret passage that led from the attic to the garden.
- The detective discovered a secret compartment in the suspect's desk drawer.
- The castle had a secret tunnel that connected it to the nearby village.
- The spy used a secret safe house to meet with her contact.
Synonyms
Meaning 7
Indulging only covertly; "a secret alcoholic".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- She was a secret smoker, hiding her habit from her family and friends.
- He was a secret gambler, only indulging in his vice when no one was looking.
- The politician was accused of being a secret racist, with some of his private comments leaked to the press.
- She had a secret sweet tooth, sneaking chocolates when she thought no one was watching.
- He was a secret binge drinker, only revealing his problem when he ended up in the hospital.
Meaning 8
Not openly made known; "a secret marriage"; "a secret bride".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company kept its financial struggles a secret from its investors.
- She had a secret admirer who sent her flowers every week.
- The secret ingredient in the recipe was a special type of spice.
- The couple had a secret wedding with only close family members in attendance.
- The secret garden was hidden behind a tall stone wall and overgrown with vines.
Synonyms
Meaning 9
Having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding; "mysterious symbols"; "the mystical style of Blake"; "occult lore"; "the secret learning of the ancients".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 10
Not open or public; kept private or not revealed; "a secret formula"; "secret ingredients"; "secret talks".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company has a secret formula for their best-selling product that is known only to a select few employees.
- She has been keeping her secret admirer's identity hidden from her friends and family.
- The chef refuses to reveal the secret ingredients in his signature dish.
- The two world leaders engaged in secret talks to resolve the longstanding conflict between their countries.
- The agent's secret mission was to gather intel on the enemy's military operations.
Meaning 11
Hidden from general view or use; "a privy place to rest and think"; "a secluded romantic spot"; "a secret garden".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The hotel room had a secret compartment in the closet where guests could stash their valuables.
- She found a secret waterfall deep in the woods, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery.
- The family kept their summer vacation spot a secret to avoid the crowds.
- He took his girlfriend to a secret vineyard on the outskirts of town for a romantic dinner.
- The new employee discovered a secret break room in the office building that few people knew about.