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reticent, discreet, uncommunicative, unforthcoming, secretive, retiring, ungregarious, unsocial, unsociable, withdrawn, solitary, insular, reclusive, hermitic, secluded, quiet, undisturbed, concealed, hidden, remote, isolated, out of the way, sequestered, uninterrupted,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 private	A framework for holding wood that is being sawed.
common soldier	A piece of open land for recreational use in an urban area.
private soldier	An 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.
closet	Secret; covert. A closet smoker.
commercial	Of or relating to commercialism. Commercial oxalic acid.
concealed	Kept secret; hidden. A concealed weapon.
confidential	Entrusted with private information and the confidence of another. This arrangement must be kept confidential.
discreet	Careful and prudent in one’s speech or actions, especially in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment. A discreet cough.
exclusive	Not divided or shared with others. An exclusive interview.
hermitic	Characterized by ascetic solitude. His hermitic existence.
hidden	Designed to elude detection. A hidden room or place of concealment such as a priest hole.
independent	Free from external control and constraint. The study is totally independent of central government.
individual	Single; separate. The individual needs of the children.
insular	Relating to or from an island. Insular attitudes toward foreigners.
intimate	Concerning things deeply private and personal. An intimate little Italian restaurant.
introverted	Of, denoting, or typical of an introvert.
isolated	Being or feeling set or kept apart from others- Sherwood Anderson. Could not remain the isolated figure he had been.
non-state-controlled	Restrained or managed or kept within certain bounds.
off the record	In an unpalatable state.
one's own	Belonging to or on behalf of a specified person (especially yourself); preceded by a possessive.
out of the way	Directed outward or serving to direct something outward.
particular	Especially great or intense. Has a particular preference for Chinese art.
personal	Existing as a self aware entity not as an abstraction or an impersonal force. Personal papers.
private-enterprise	Subscribing to capitalistic competition.
privately owned	Not expressed.
quiet	(of a place, period of time, or situation) without much activity, disturbance, or excitement. The car has a quiet economical engine.
reclusive	Withdrawn from society; seeking solitude. Lived an unsocial reclusive life.
remote	Aloof and unfriendly in manner. A remote relative.
reserved	Kept specially for a particular person. A reserved seat.
reticent	Not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily. She was extremely reticent about her personal affairs.
retiring	Shy and fond of being on one’s own. A gentle retiring person who avoided conflict.
secluded	Providing privacy or seclusion. The gardens are quiet and secluded.
secret	Given 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-contained	Constituting 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.
special	For a special service or occasion. A special kind of paint.
top secret	Situated at the top or highest position.
uncommunicative	Unwilling to talk or impart information. He had always been quiet and uncommunicative having few friends.
undisturbed	Not 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.
ungregarious	Not disposed to seek company. A lonely ungregarious person.
uninterrupted	Without a break in continuity. A convalescent needs uninterrupted sleep.
unofficial	Not having official authority or sanction. Unofficial reports said that dozens of people were injured.
unsociable	Not enjoying or making an effort to behave sociably in the company of others. Watching TV is a fairly unsociable activity.
unsocial	Not seeking the company of others. The unsocial behaviour of young teenagers.
withdrawn	Withdrawn 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)

arrogate	Take or claim (something) without justification. They arrogate to themselves the ability to divine the nation s true interests.
clandestine	Conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods. She deserved better than these clandestine meetings.
concealed	Not accessible to view. He spoke with barely concealed anger.
covert	Being under the protection of her husband. Covert actions by the CIA.
enclave	A place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it. The engineering department is traditionally a male enclave.
furnishing	Accessory wearing apparel. The furnishing comprised three easy chairs and one oval table.
furtive	Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed. They spent a furtive day together.
indoor	Relating to sports played indoors. An indoor setting.
indoors	Into or within a building. They went indoors and explored the house.
inmost	Being deepest within the self.
inner	A shot that strikes the inner. Inner regions of the organization.
innermost	Furthest in; closest to the centre. The innermost chamber.
inside	On the inside. Overtaking on the inside.
interior	Inside and toward a center. The interior has been much restored.
internal	Inside the body. The party suffered from grave internal weaknesses.
intramural	Situated or done within a community. Recreational intramural games.
inward	Directed or moving inward or toward a center. Move the needle further inwards.
inwardly	With 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.
lavatory	A room, building, or cubicle containing a toilet or toilets. She flushed the lavatory.
personal	Of or arising from personality. Her personal fortune was recently estimated at 37 million.
privacy	The state of being free from public attention. A law to restrict newspapers freedom to invade people s privacy.
privy	Sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private. A privy place.
profile	Represent in profile by drawing or painting. The author of this article profiles a famous painter.
resume	A summary of your academic and work history. He sipped at the glass of water and then resumed.
secret	Of information given in confidence or in secret. Secret sales of arms.
stealthy	Behaving or done in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard. Stealthy footsteps.
surreptitious	Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed. A surreptitious glance at his watch.
undercover	Involving secret work within a community or organization, especially for the purposes of police investigation or espionage. An undercover investigation.
underhanded	Marked by deception. Underhanded practices.