secret

modif.

1. Not generally known

   mysterious, ambiguous, hidden, unknown, arcane, cryptic, esoteric, abstruse, occult, mystic, mystical, classified, dark, veiled, enigmatical, enigmatic, strange, deep, buried in mystery, obscure, clouded, recondite, shrouded, unenlightened, unintelligible, cabalistic.

   Antonyms known*, revealed, exposed. *

2. Hidden

   latent, secluded, concealed; see hidden 2.

3. Operating secretly

   clandestine, covert, underhand, underhanded, stealthy, sly, surreptitious, close, in ambuscade, in ambush, furtive, disguised, undercover, hush-hush*, backdoor*, confidential*, backstairs*, incognito*, camouflaged*, cryptographic, enigmatic*, under false pretense, unrevealed, undisclosed, dissembled, dissimulated, in camera (Latin), under wraps*; see also secretive, sly 1, taciturn.

   Antonyms open*, aboveboard*, overt.

secret, the general term, implies a concealing or keeping from the knowledge of others, for whatever reason my secret opinion of him; covert implies a concealing as by disguising or veiling a covert threat; clandestine suggests that what is being kept secret is of an illicit, immoral, or proscribed nature their clandestine meetings in the park; stealthy implies a slow, quiet secrecy of action in an attempt to elude notice and often connotes deceit the stealthy advance of the panther; furtive adds to this connotations of slyness or watchfulness and suggests a reprehensible objective the furtive movement of his hand toward my pocket; surreptitious connotes a feeling of guilt in the one who is acting in a furtive or stealthy manner she stole a surreptitious glance at him; underhanded implies a stealthiness characterized by fraudulence or deceit underhanded business dealings

secret

n.

in secret