Private vs. Secret
Difference Between Private and Secret
Privateadjective
Secluded from the sight, presence, or intrusion of others
a private hideaway.Secretadjective
Kept hidden from knowledge or view; concealed
a secret identity.a secret passageway.Privateadjective
Designed or intended for one's exclusive use
a private room.Secretadjective
Not expressed; inward
secret desires.Privateadjective
Of or confined to the individual; personal
a private joke.private opinions.Secretadjective
Given to keeping one's thoughts and activities unknown to others; secretive
"Scrooge ... was secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster" (Charles Dickens).Privateadjective
Undertaken on an individual basis
private studies.private research.Secretadjective
Not revealing a secret or not given to revealing secrets
"She boasted ... that he did tell her. But he didn't. He was secret as the grave" (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala).Privateadjective
Of, relating to, or receiving special hospital services and privileges
a private patient.Secretadjective
Operating in a hidden or confidential manner
a secret commission.a secret agent.Privateadjective
Not available for public use, control, or participation
a private club.a private party.Secretadjective
Containing information, the unauthorized disclosure of which poses a grave threat to national security.
Privateadjective
Belonging to a particular person or persons, as opposed to the public or the government
private property.Secretadjective
Not much visited; secluded
a secret hiding place.Privateadjective
Of, relating to, or derived from nongovernment sources
private funding.Secretadjective
Known or shared only by the initiated
secret rites.Privateadjective
Conducted and supported primarily by individuals or groups not affiliated with governmental agencies or corporations
a private college.a private sanatorium.Secretadjective
Beyond ordinary understanding; mysterious
"like Pan, calling out with his flute to come join in on the secret chaos of the world" (Rick Bass).Privateadjective
Enrolled in or attending a private school
a private student.Secretnoun
Something that is kept out of the knowledge or sight of others or is known only to oneself or a few
wanted to have no secrets between them.Privateadjective
Capitalized in shares of stock that are held by a relatively small number of owners and are not traded on the open market
a private company.a company that went private.took a company private.Secretnoun
Something that remains beyond understanding or explanation; a mystery
unlocking the secrets of the atom.Privateadjective
Not holding an official or public position
a private citizen.Secretnoun
A method or formula for doing or making something well, especially when not widely known
The secret of this dish is in the sauce.Privateadjective
Not for public knowledge or disclosure; secret
private papers.a private communication.Secretnoun
Secret A variable prayer said after the Offertory and before the Preface in the Mass.
Privateadjective
Not appropriate for use or display in public; intimate
private behavior.a private tragedy.Secretnoun
Knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden.
Can you keep a secret? So can I.Privateadjective
Placing a high value on personal privacy
a private person.Secretnoun
Something not understood or known.
Privatenoun
A noncommissioned rank in the US Army or Marine Corps that is below private first class.
Secretnoun
The genital organs.
Privatenoun
One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.
Secretadjective
Being or kept hidden.
We went down a secret passage.Privatenoun
privates Private parts. Often used with the.
Secretadjective
(obsolete) Withdrawn from general intercourse or notice; in retirement or secrecy; secluded.
Privateadjective
Belonging to, concerning, or accessible only to an individual person or a specific group.
Her address is private; you can't have it.private papersSecretadjective
(obsolete) Faithful to a secret; not inclined to divulge or betray confidence; secretive, separate, apart.
Privateadjective
Not accessible by the public.
private propertySecretadjective
(obsolete) Separate; distinct.
Privateadjective
Not in governmental office or employment.
He quit public life, living quietly as a private citizen.Secretverb
(transitive) To make or keep secret.
Privateadjective
Not publicly known; not open; secret.
The identity of the beneficiaries of the trust is private.Secretverb
(transitive) To hide secretly.
He was so scared for his safety he secreted arms around the house.Privateadjective
Protected from view or disturbance by others; secluded.
Can we go somewhere more private?Secretnoun
something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on);
the combination to the safe was a secrethe tried to keep his drinking a secretPrivateadjective
Not traded by the public.
private corporationSecretnoun
information known only to a special group;
the secret of Cajun cookingPrivateadjective
Secretive; reserved.
He is a very private person.Secretnoun
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained;
how it got out is a mysteryit remains one of nature's secretsPrivateadjective
Not shared with another patient.
Secretadjective
not open or public; kept private or not revealed;
a secret formulasecret ingredientssecret talksPrivatenoun
A soldier of the lowest rank in the army.
Secretadjective
conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods;
clandestine intelligence operationscloak-and-dagger activities behind enemy lineshole-and-corner intriguesecret missionsa secret agentsecret sales of armssurreptitious mobilization of troopsan undercover investigationunderground resistancePrivatenoun
The genitals.
Secretadjective
not openly made known;
a secret marriagea secret bridePrivatenoun
(obsolete) A secret message; a personal unofficial communication.
Secretadjective
communicated covertly;
their a secret signal was a winksecret messagesPrivatenoun
(obsolete) Personal interest; particular business.
Secretadjective
not expressed;
secret (or private) thoughtsPrivatenoun
(obsolete) Privacy; retirement.
Secretadjective
designed to elude detection;
a hidden room or place of concealment such as a priest holea secret passagethe secret compartment in the deskPrivatenoun
(obsolete) One not invested with a public office.
Secretadjective
hidden from general view or use;
a privy place to rest and thinka secluded romantic spota secret gardenPrivatenoun
A private lesson.
If you want to learn ballet, consider taking privates.Secretadjective
(of information) given in confidence or in secret;
closet informationthis arrangement must be kept confidentialtheir secret communicationsPrivatenoun
an enlisted man of the lowest rank;
our prisoner was just a private and knew nothing of valueSecretadjective
indulging only covertly;
a closet alcoholiccloset liberalsPrivateadjective
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy;
a private placeprivate discussionsprivate lessonsa private cluba private secretaryprivate propertythe former President is now a private citizenpublic figures struggle to maintain a private lifeSecretadjective
having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding;
mysterious symbolsthe mystical style of Blakeoccult lorethe secret learning of the ancientsPrivateadjective
concerning things deeply private and personal;
private correspondenceprivate family mattersSecretadjective
the next to highest level of official classification for documents
Privateadjective
concerning one person exclusively;
we all have individual carseach room has a private bathPrivateadjective
not expressed;
secret (or private) thoughts
