PRIVATE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for PRIVATE?

Need another word that means the same as “private”? Find 49 synonyms and 30 related words for “private” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Private” are: secret, intimate, individual, personal, one's own, particular, special, exclusive, privately owned, confidential, top secret, classified, unofficial, off the record, closet, reserved, introverted, self-contained, reticent, discreet, uncommunicative, unforthcoming, secretive, retiring, ungregarious, unsocial, unsociable, withdrawn, solitary, insular, reclusive, hermitic, secluded, quiet, undisturbed, concealed, hidden, remote, isolated, out of the way, sequestered, uninterrupted, independent, non-state-controlled, commercial, private-enterprise, buck private, common soldier, private soldier

Private as a Noun

Definitions of "Private" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “private” as a noun can have the following definitions:

  • The lowest rank in the army, below lance corporal or private first class.
  • An enlisted man of the lowest rank in the Army or Marines.

Synonyms of "Private" as a noun (3 Words)

buck privateA framework for holding wood that is being sawed.
common soldierA piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area.
private soldierAn enlisted man of the lowest rank in the Army or Marines.

Usage Examples of "Private" as a noun

  • Our prisoner was just a private and knew nothing of value.

Private as an Adjective

Definitions of "Private" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “private” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

  • Confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy.
  • (of a conversation, activity, or gathering) involving only a particular person or group, and often dealing with matters that are not to be disclosed to others.
  • Concerning one person exclusively.
  • (of thoughts and feelings) not to be revealed to others.
  • (of education or medical treatment) conducted outside the state system and charging fees to those who make use of it.
  • (especially of two people) alone and undisturbed by others.
  • (of a place) quiet and free from people who may interrupt.
  • Not connected with one's work or official position.
  • (of a service or industry) provided or owned by an individual or an independent, commercial company rather than the state.
  • Relating to or denoting a transaction between individuals and not involving commercial organizations.
  • (of a person) choosing not to reveal their thoughts and feelings to others.
  • Concerning things deeply private and personal.
  • Belonging to or for the use of one particular person or group of people only.
  • (of a person) having no official or public role or position.
  • Not expressed.

Synonyms of "Private" as an adjective (46 Words)

classified(of newspaper or magazine advertisements) organized in categories according to what is being advertised.
A classified catalogue of books.
closetSecret; covert.
A closet smoker.
commercialOf or relating to commercialism.
Commercial oxalic acid.
concealedKept secret; hidden.
A concealed weapon.
confidentialEntrusted with private information and the confidence of another.
This arrangement must be kept confidential.
discreetCareful and prudent in one’s speech or actions, especially in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment.
A discreet cough.
exclusiveNot divided or shared with others.
An exclusive interview.
hermiticCharacterized by ascetic solitude.
His hermitic existence.
hiddenDesigned to elude detection.
A hidden room or place of concealment such as a priest hole.
independentFree from external control and constraint.
The study is totally independent of central government.
individualSingle; separate.
The individual needs of the children.
insularRelating to or from an island.
Insular attitudes toward foreigners.
intimateConcerning things deeply private and personal.
An intimate little Italian restaurant.
introvertedOf, denoting, or typical of an introvert.
isolatedBeing or feeling set or kept apart from others- Sherwood Anderson.
Could not remain the isolated figure he had been.
non-state-controlledRestrained or managed or kept within certain bounds.
off the recordIn an unpalatable state.
one's ownBelonging to or on behalf of a specified person (especially yourself); preceded by a possessive.
out of the wayDirected outward or serving to direct something outward.
particularEspecially great or intense.
Has a particular preference for Chinese art.
personalExisting as a self aware entity not as an abstraction or an impersonal force.
Personal papers.
private-enterpriseSubscribing to capitalistic competition.
privately ownedNot expressed.
quiet(of a place, period of time, or situation) without much activity, disturbance, or excitement.
The car has a quiet economical engine.
reclusiveWithdrawn from society; seeking solitude.
Lived an unsocial reclusive life.
remoteAloof and unfriendly in manner.
A remote relative.
reservedKept specially for a particular person.
A reserved seat.
reticentNot revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.
She was extremely reticent about her personal affairs.
retiringShy and fond of being on one’s own.
A gentle retiring person who avoided conflict.
secludedProviding privacy or seclusion.
The gardens are quiet and secluded.
secretGiven in confidence or in secret.
A secret drinker.
secretive(of a person’s expression or manner) having an enigmatic or conspiratorial quality.
A secretive smile.
self-containedConstituting a complete and independent unit in and of itself.
sequestered(of a place) isolated and hidden away.
A wild sequestered spot.
solitary(of a flower or other part) borne singly.
Solitary farmsteads.
specialFor a special service or occasion.
A special kind of paint.
top secretSituated at the top or highest position.
uncommunicativeUnwilling to talk or impart information.
He had always been quiet and uncommunicative having few friends.
undisturbedNot disturbed.
He could pursue his studies undisturbed.
unforthcoming(of a person) not willing to divulge information.
The sergeant seemed unforthcoming so he enquired at the gate.
ungregariousNot disposed to seek company.
A lonely ungregarious person.
uninterruptedWithout a break in continuity.
A convalescent needs uninterrupted sleep.
unofficialNot having official authority or sanction.
Unofficial reports said that dozens of people were injured.
unsociableNot enjoying or making an effort to behave sociably in the company of others.
Watching TV is a fairly unsociable activity.
unsocialNot seeking the company of others.
The unsocial behaviour of young teenagers.
withdrawnWithdrawn from society seeking solitude.
When her husband died she became very withdrawn.

Usage Examples of "Private" as an adjective

  • The former President is now a private citizen.
  • A small private service in the chapel.
  • We can phone from the library—we'll be private in there.
  • This is a private conversation.
  • All bedrooms have private facilities.
  • Private discussions.
  • His private plane.
  • The ambassador visited the school in a private capacity.
  • Public figures struggle to maintain a private life.
  • A private club.
  • Private lessons.
  • She felt awkward at intruding on private grief.
  • A private secretary.
  • Secret (or private) thoughts.
  • Private family matters.
  • If I could afford it I'd go private.
  • Each room has a private bath.
  • Private education.
  • This research was carried out by private industry.
  • He was a very private man.
  • The paintings were sold to a private collector.
  • A private place.
  • Can we go somewhere a little more private?
  • Private property.
  • It was a private sale—no estate agent's commission.

Associations of "Private" (30 Words)

arrogateTake or claim (something) without justification.
They arrogate to themselves the ability to divine the nation s true interests.
clandestineConducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods.
She deserved better than these clandestine meetings.
concealedNot accessible to view.
He spoke with barely concealed anger.
covertBeing under the protection of her husband.
Covert actions by the CIA.
enclaveA place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.
The engineering department is traditionally a male enclave.
furnishingAccessory wearing apparel.
The furnishing comprised three easy chairs and one oval table.
furtiveMarked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed.
They spent a furtive day together.
indoorRelating to sports played indoors.
An indoor setting.
indoorsInto or within a building.
They went indoors and explored the house.
inmostBeing deepest within the self.
innerA shot that strikes the inner.
Inner regions of the organization.
innermostFurthest in; closest to the centre.
The innermost chamber.
insideOn the inside.
Overtaking on the inside.
interiorInside and toward a center.
The interior has been much restored.
internalInside the body.
The party suffered from grave internal weaknesses.
intramuralSituated or done within a community.
Recreational intramural games.
inwardDirected or moving inward or toward a center.
Move the needle further inwards.
inwardlyWith respect to private feelings.
Inwardly seething he did as he was told.
landlocked(of a country or region) almost or entirely surrounded by land.
A landlocked country.
lavatoryA room, building, or cubicle containing a toilet or toilets.
She flushed the lavatory.
personalOf or arising from personality.
Her personal fortune was recently estimated at 37 million.
privacyThe state of being free from public attention.
A law to restrict newspapers freedom to invade people s privacy.
privySharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private.
A privy place.
profileRepresent in profile by drawing or painting.
The author of this article profiles a famous painter.
resumeA summary of your academic and work history.
He sipped at the glass of water and then resumed.
secretOf information given in confidence or in secret.
Secret sales of arms.
stealthyBehaving or done in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard.
Stealthy footsteps.
surreptitiousMarked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed.
A surreptitious glance at his watch.
undercoverInvolving secret work within a community or organization, especially for the purposes of police investigation or espionage.
An undercover investigation.
underhandedMarked by deception.
Underhanded practices.

Leave a Comment