closet 1 of 3

noun

ˈklä-zət How to pronounce closet (audio)
Definition of closetnext
1
as in pantry
a built-in space for storage behind a door a broom closet for the vacuum, carpet sweeper, ironing board, etc.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in room
an area within a building that has been set apart from surrounding space by a wall a huge walk-in closet

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3
as in cupboard
a storage case typically having doors and shelves a china closet in the Hepplewhite style

Synonyms & Similar Words

closet

2 of 3

verb

as in to house
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers he closeted himself in his study, vowing not to emerge until he had finished the term paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

closet

3 of 3

adjective

as in clandestine

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 closet
Noun
Ahead, shop the best celebrity all-white looks, sure to inspire a style reset within your closet this summer. — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 3 July 2026 The primary bedroom boasts a sitting area, walk-in closet and a freestanding bathtub in the bathroom. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Verb
At a time when most employees were closeted, a group of the company’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans employees came together to form the Lambda Network to reshape Kodak’s corporate culture and company policies. — Tamar Carroll, The Conversation, 18 June 2026 Amazon Spring Sale shoe deals Level up your shoe closet with some Amazon spring sale finds, too, like these raffia espadrille sandals that are 44% off, plus mesh ballet flats from Sam Edelman that are marked down to just $40. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Whether paired with heels, sneakers, or both (like Gaines), wide-leg jeans are the closet staple your wardrobe may be missing this spring. — Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 Cool Knits No matter the season, a lightweight yet luxurious knit is a forever closet classic—and this spring the offerings are as cool as ever. — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for closet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closet
  1. pantry
  2. room
  3. cupboard
  4. house
  5. clandestine
  6. cabinet
  7. covert
  8. locker
Noun
  • Designed to last years in the pantry, it’s earned a permanent place in kitchens across the world.
    — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 July 2026
  • Therefore, onions should be stored in a cool, dark space (like a pantry or cellar with temperatures between 45°F and 55°F) to prevent sprouting.
    — Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of pantry
Noun
  • While working on the Venezuela rescue mission, Short and the other team members were recently firing up a smoker for burgers and roasted potatoes in the kitchen a floor below their conference room.
    — Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The ruins of Dungeness, a 59-room, 37,000-square-foot estate house dating to the mid-1880s, once owned by Thomas Carnegie, brother and business partner of Pittsburgh steel magnate Andrew Carnegie.
    — Jennifer Peebles, AJC.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of room
Noun
  • The hotel's team can also do a grocery run and stock the cupboards and fridge ahead of your stay.
    — Chadner Navarro, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2026
  • The small kitchen retains its midcentury charm, but open shelving above the counter provides an airier, more contemporary cupboard to show off Miranda-Martin’s dish and glassware collection.
    — Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of cupboard
Verb
  • The April 2025 incident at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey sent three teenagers to a hospital, months after a California oversight body ruled the facility was not a safe place for youths to be housed.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • The Loews Kansas City houses 1587 Prime, the steakhouse co-owned by football celebs Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
    — Chris Dong, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
Definition of house
Adjective
  • That was a concern because other research has indicated the Chinese government has, at times, delayed public disclosure of vulnerabilities submitted to the program so they could later be used in clandestine cyberattacks.
    — Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The screening usually focusses on clandestine hanky-panky, but this season the girls’ irreverence was so abundant that the producers treated them to an unprecedented second viewing night.
    — Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
Definition of clandestine
Noun
  • Customers can choose paint color and cabinets but have to stick with the predesigned floor plans.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • My thumb and index finger pinched together to grab a dime, while my middle finger reached farther to pick up coins that had rolled under the edge of a cabinet.
    — Steven Lautzenheiser, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
Definition of cabinet
Adjective
  • To achieve this, Israel employed airstrikes, cyberattacks, interdictions of weapons and covert action to impede Iran’s ability to resupply Hezbollah’s existing arsenal and supply it with more advanced weapons.
    — Amy McAuliffe, The Conversation, 26 June 2026
  • After 1996, when the protease inhibitors were developed, the duty to warn continued to be an important standard when HIV status became more clinically covert.
    — M. Sara Rosenthal, STAT, 25 June 2026
Definition of covert
Noun
  • That’s when Champion made thick cotton tops with hoods to help keep butchers warm in meat lockers and construction crews insulated during periods of cold outdoor labor.
    — Faran Krentcil, InStyle, 1 July 2026
  • Ceiling hooks for fishing rods, cargo door for two bikes, spray hose for cleaning gear and heated locker for drying it.
    — Kris Millgate, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of locker

Phrases Containing closet

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closest
closet
closeted
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Cite this Entry

“Closet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closet. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on closet

Nglish: Translation of closet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about closet

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