PRIVATELY Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

privately

adverb

Definition of privately

as in secretly

in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others she confided to me privately that she was considering divorce

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of privately Even her good friend Gizelle knew, and chose to gossip with Ashley instead of privately informing Tia off camera. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026 An autographed Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals was privately sold to a Miami real estate investor for $14 million, an auction house announced Monday. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 Once public spectacles, executions now occur privately inside prisons, with only a handful of official witnesses and a press pool. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026 Prop 40’s critics have warned the tax is unlikely to be a one-time deal and also raised alarms about the forms of wealth that would be targeted, such as unrealized capital gains and privately held stock that’s key for startups. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 Unlike in other border areas, much of the land in Texas is privately or state owned. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 Mercury and retrograde Venus in your 12th House suggest some answers are still forming privately. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Maduro publicly accused the executives of corruption, while a senior official privately described their detention as a means of pressuring Washington, according to the indictment. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 WeWork had been valued privately at $47 billion, but just six weeks after the New Constructs report, the company pulled its IPO amid weak demand and intense criticism surrounding its financials. — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for privately

Adverb

Rupert’s Season 4 story arc kicked off in episode 8 when he was suspected of secretly buying AFC Richmond shares in an attempt to regain control over the football club from his ex-wife Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham).

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Ricketts has argued that he’s best suited to keep delivering for Nebraska and that his opponent is secretly a Democrat.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of secretly

Adverb

OpenAI confidentially filed its prospectus with regulators in June, and executives have signaled that the company is eyeing a 2027 debut.

— Ashley Capoot,Kate Rooney, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
OpenAI also confidentially filed for an IPO in June, but Altman has signaled that the company wouldn’t be going ahead with the listing amid mounting safety risks.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026