in private
Away from others
Away from observation by others, where only those directly involved are present.
What happens in private isn't witnessed by outsiders: They met in private to discuss the settlement.
The phrase often implies confidentiality or intimacy—things said or done in private aren't meant for public knowledge.
Contrasts with in public.
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- discreetCareful to avoid notice
- one-on-oneDirect, between two
- intimateClosely personal or private
- hiddenKept out of sight
for your eyes only · exclusive · secluded · off-the-record · not for publication · whispered · behind closed doors · sotto voce · hushed · covert · personal · just between us · in camera · solitary · withdrawn · coded · secretive · off the books
- secrecysecrecy, secret, secrets, confidential, classified
- phrasesnoun phrases, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, prepositional phrases
in privatein public
Before others' eyes
publicly · openly · in the open · out in the open · in full view
in privateon the record
Openly stated, quotable
officially · formally · on camera · for the record · in chambers
private, privacy, deprive, privately, deprived, privy, privation, deprivation, depriving