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secret

secret

529 4.7
Official information kept from most people for security
  • adjective
  • /ˈsiːkrɪt/
  • Formal
translation icon : clasificado
  • However, this is the secret source of perfume.
  • top secret
  • secret documents
  • secret diplomatic cable

The Nazis thought it was a secret Allied weapon.

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Examples

  • Only a few employees have access to the secret files related to the classified project.

  • Black budgets are simply budgets for secret operations that are not made public.

  • And look, this is where the secret key goes back in.

  • We have passed you everything we have on his secret weapons programs.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • A September demonstration protesting the pact's secret protocols was broken up by special police forces.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Maps, charts, and nautical logbooks were viewed by European rulers as secret documents whose unauthorized publication was punishable.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The government has classified the details of the operation as secret for national security reasons.

  • The secret meeting took place behind closed doors to discuss sensitive information.

Synonyms

sensitive
vssecret
  • Formal
183 8.1

Information that must be kept secret to protect national security

is focused on official status at a defined high classification level
covert
vssecret
117 6.8

Done secretly to avoid being seen or known

is an official protection status, not only a hidden activity
undisclosed
vssecret
37 5.8

Kept secret and not told to other people

is an officially designated high protection category rather than simple hiding
under wraps
vssecret
  • Informal
28 6.0

Most people do not know about it

is official material held for security rather than temporary concealment
hush-hush
vssecret
  • Informal
13 7.5

People keep it secret from most others to avoid being noticed

is formally protected at a defined higher level, not just to avoid attention
super-secret
vssecret
3 7.4

Very private and known by only a few people

is protected at a high official level but less extreme in secrecy
classified
vssecret
  • Formal
1 7.4

Kept secret and shown only to people with permission

is official material assigned a high protection level within government

Antonyms

579 1.0

Not decided and still possible to change

unclassified
  • Formal
11 4.2

Not secret and available to the public

Idioms

56 2.5

In a way other people do not know

A helpful idea or tool kept secret to use when needed

Compounds

381 3.4

A United States government group that protects the president and vice president and investigates fake money

top-secret
  • Formal
65 5.9

Information that only a very small number of people are allowed to know

top secret
  • Formal
55 4.2

Information that the government keeps private for security reasons

27 3.4

A person who gathers hidden information for a government about enemies

27 6.6

A group that works for the government in secret to watch and punish people who oppose it

A group whose members keep their identity and activities hidden from others

A private job done secretly to gather information

trade secret
  • Specialized
15 3.9

Secret method or recipe a business keeps to stay ahead of other companies

A hidden thing added to food or an idea that makes it better

13 4.3

A plan people keep secret to do something wrong

11 6.5

Information a government keeps secret because it affects the country's safety

People vote privately so no one knows their choice

A place or thing only a few people know about that is especially good

open secret
  • Informal
6 4.0

Something people try to hide but many already know

A private hand gesture used by a group to show membership or friendship

3 5.2

A set of words, letters or signs used to hide a message

3 7.4

Very private and known by only a few people

A government group that protects the US president, vice president, their families, visiting leaders, and stops people making fake money

2 3.4

A fact many people know although others try to keep it hidden

secret code
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A set of numbers or letters used to unlock an account

secret writing
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A way of writing that uses codes so only certain people can read it

1 7.7

A very private piece of information kept from most people

A United States government agency that protects the president, other top officials, and investigates money crimes

secret handshake
  • Specialized
1 8.0

A short message exchange that proves identity and creates keys for secure communication

A British government group that gathers secret information overseas and protects Britain from foreign spies

An armed group that attacked to force Turkey to admit the Armenian Genocide, pay money, and give land to Armenia

A place or fact known only by people who live nearby

A silent permission for someone to do something wrong

A list of ingredients and steps that people keep secret to make a food unique

How Secret

top secret
  • Formal
55 4.2
secret
  • Formal
529 4.7
confidential
205 5.3
restricted
18 3.9
unclassified
  • Formal
11 4.2

Surface Forms

secret positive

Etymology

The word secret comes from Latin se- 'apart' and a root meaning 'to separate', like the word separate, so it originally meant 'set apart'. That's why official secret files are put 'apart' and only a few people have permission to see them.