to keep a secret

Examples

• All

• Because it's like they say, four can keep a secret if three are dead.

  Fiction book (2001)

• Remember, three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

  Blog text (1)

• Hard to keep a secret around here.

  A Town Full of Ghosts (2022)

• Can you keep a secret?

  Wuthering Heights (1970)

• So you promise to keep a secret?

  Any Given Sunday (1999)

• I can keep a secret.

  Honor Society (2022)

• And no adult should ever ask her to keep a secret from her parents.

  Blog text (21)

• He knows how to keep a secret.

  Camp Daze (2005)

• "I know how to keep a secret," Della said.

  Fiction book (1995)

• Can you keep a secret without telling anyone?

Synonyms

H

to hide

vsto keep a secret

∞ 1.0

To keep something so others cannot see or understand it

is specifically about not telling confidential information instead of physical concealment

K

to keep quiet

vsto keep a secret

208 2.5

To say nothing or not tell a secret

is used specifically to withhold confidential information from people

C

to conceal

vsto keep a secret

179 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

is more about not telling confidential information rather than physical hiding

H

to hush up

vsto keep a secret

• Informal

7 7.2

Stop people finding out about a mistake, crime, or embarrassing event

is used when not telling confidential information generally rather than hiding wrongdoing

S

to secrete

vsto keep a secret

7 8.1

Hide something carefully where others cannot find it

is about refusing to tell confidential information rather than hiding objects

M

mum's the word

vsto keep a secret

• Informal

7 8.2

Keep quiet about a secret

is the general act of keeping confidential information to oneself

K

to keep mum

vsto keep a secret

• Informal

3 7.5

Stay quiet about something private

is the deliberate act of not telling confidential information

K

to keep one's mouth shut

vsto keep a secret

• Informal

1 5.6

To say nothing to avoid trouble or keep a secret

is about deliberately not telling confidential information to others

K

to keep to oneself

vsto keep a secret

1 5.4

To not tell others your thoughts or feelings

is about deliberately not telling confidential information rather than general privacy

S

to shut one's mouth

vsto keep a secret

• Informal

1 4.4

To stop talking to keep a secret or when told to be quiet

is about choosing not to tell confidential information voluntarily

K

to keep one's cakehole shut

vsto keep a secret

• Offensive

9.9

Not say anything or tell other people

is the polite choice to avoid revealing confidential information

Antonyms

T

to tell

∞ 1.0

Give someone information

D

to disclose

245 4.1

To tell people information that was secret

How Secret

to cover up

454 3.7

to conceal

179 3.7

to keep a secret

206 2.6

to keep quiet

208 2.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology