in private

phrase

Definition of in privatenext
1
as in personally
in person and usually privately Can I please speak with you in private?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in privately
in a manner intended to prevent knowledge or awareness by others She told me in private that she's been having a hard time adjusting.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 in private Developers’ interest and responsibility ends once they’re cleared to start construction, and uncounted troves of material across the state languish in storage, some in private hands. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 Some officials acknowledge—in private—that politically motivated purges have left the country’s law-enforcement and intelligence agencies understaffed and more prone to mistakes. — Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026 The new vehicle comes as Gulf sovereign wealth funds pour into private credit, attracted by higher yields offered in private markets and undeterred by concerns about rising default rates that have prompted some investors to reduce their exposure. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 2 July 2026 The legislature approved a $50 million operations endowment, requiring library planners to raise $100 million in private donations, a goal met in 2020. — CBS News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for in private

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inpourings
in private
in proportion
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Cite this Entry

“In private.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/in%20private. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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