closeted 1 of 2

Definition of closetednext

closeted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of closet

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 closeted
Adjective
Joe, who grew up a closeted teen in Kansas City facing abuse by his father, hits the road hitchhiking. Caroline Killilea, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 The film centers on a pickpocket who survives by exploiting the desires of closeted men, until his detached worldview is upended when one of his marks returns seeking closeness rather than settling scores. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 May 2026
Verb
The steamy romance Heated Rivalry saw two gay men spend nearly a decade trying to define their relationship; although being closeted played a major role in their hesitation, the show also mined tension from the characters’ doubts about having an exclusive partnership. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026 Morrissey’s character must confront his own homophobia and transphobia as Cumming forms a friendship with one of his sons, who is closeted. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for closeted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closeted
Adjective
  • Compare several quotes from providers and read the full contract before signing to avoid hidden fees or exclusions.
    Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • It’s also lightly lined and has a deep V-neck design that can remain hidden under different tops.
    Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • It was cast by the same foundry in London, Whitechapel Bell Foundry, that produced the original bell in 1752, now housed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
    Daily News, Daily News, 4 July 2026
  • During its first decades the seventeen-story building housed The Miami News.
    Ada Ferrer, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026
Adjective
  • He’s played by Grégoire Colin, one of the great modern French actors, whose onscreen persona combines unrelieved woundedness with barely repressed violence.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
  • Zhang, delivering his first fully Cantonese-language performance on the big screen, portrays a repressed small-time man caught between competing versions of reality.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The race weekend is no longer confined to the circuit perimeter.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The enthusiasm surrounding the trend isn’t confined to one corner of the market, though.
    Sanika Achrekar, Glamour, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • Bryan West Madison Square Garden does hold personal significance for Swift.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • This podcast got me a boyfriend ever since Travis decided to use it as his personal dating app about two years ago.
    Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • The next shot shows the car encased in the home amid piles of crumbling plaster, split beams and bits of furniture.
    Bernard Condon, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
  • Over time, a soft split bun encased the sausage, creating something portable to be eaten standing at a fairground, during a factory break, or in the bleachers at a baseball game.
    Ashley Rose Young, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • In another instance, investigators identified a gray button on a test-taker's shirt as a concealed camera.
    Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • Kentucky lawmakers will likely let our columnist Joe Gerth down again by overriding the veto of a bill that would allow 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to carry concealed guns.
    Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The area last week was surrounded by surveillance cameras and patrolled by National Guardsmen as lifelong resident John Cates strolled the area.
    Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Piles of meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes surrounded the early risers.
    CBS News Philadelphia Staff, CBS News, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Closeted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closeted. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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