closet

1 of 3

noun

clos·​et ˈklä-zət How to pronounce closet (audio)
ˈklȯ-
1
a
: an apartment or small room for privacy
b
: a monarch's or official's private chamber
2
: a cabinet or recess for especially china, household utensils, or clothing
3
: a place of retreat or privacy
4
5
: a state or condition of secrecy, privacy, or obscurity
came out of the closet
closetful noun

closet

2 of 3

verb

closeted; closeting; closets

transitive verb

1
: to shut up in or as if in a closet
2
: to take into a closet for a secret interview

closet

3 of 3

adjective

1
: closely private
2
: working in or suited to the closet as the place of seclusion or study : theoretical
3
: being so in private
a closet racist

Examples of closet in a Sentence

Noun The sheets and blankets are in the hall closet. He has a closet full of new clothes. Verb He closeted himself in his apartment for several days. he closeted himself in his study, vowing not to emerge until he had finished the term paper Adjective Some people think he's a closet homosexual.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Spring cleaning can mean tidying up your wallet or pocketbook, as well as your closet. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Hondo heads to the bedroom closet, removes his semi-automatic service weapon, and safely locks it away in his gun safe. Josh Campbell, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 But by far the most eye-catching is the sumptuous primary suite, which flaunts a bathroom with open showers and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass and an ultra-minimalist closet/dressing room. James McClain, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Some are just scrounged out closets and out of parents' desk drawers. Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Black and Latino students are still disproportionately subjected to harsh forms of discipline: silent hallways, isolation closets, even physical restraint. Dana Goldstein, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 It’s got three bedrooms — including a primary suite with a walk-in closet and en-suite bath — and three baths in total, and is one of just 11 residences in a luxury boutique building, which boasts a 24-hour doorman. Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Two more bedrooms on this level include one with a private entry from the backyard deck and a walk-in closet. Monica Lander, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 Mary Steenburgen made a nostalgic fashion choice for the 2024 Academy Awards, reaching back into her closet for a familiar piece. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
Crews entered the home and found that flames had spread from the attic into the master bathroom and closet on the second floor. Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2024 Rogers was closeted for part of his career as a professional athlete and could relate to their intense fear of discovery. Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2023 The opera tells the story of Emile Griffith, a five-time world boxing champion, who was closeted during much of his fighting career. Devon M. Sayers, CNN, 3 Oct. 2023 Two of the men were closeted 50-somethings, with careers in conservative industries and families in the suburbs. Time, 7 July 2023 Other 16-year-olds are under tremendous pressure to closet themselves, to conceal their unorthodox interests, to hide themselves in all their uniqueness. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Parents, 22 June 2023 In its early years, many members were closeted, but by the early 1980s some LGBTQ activists were willing to put a public face on the movement by sharing their stories in interviews, public hearings and lobbying efforts. Orit Avishai, The Conversation, 1 June 2023 Taylor, who lost her primary challenge to Kemp, has peddled conspiracy theories that Republican leaders were closet communists and that Democrats were secret pedophiles. Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2023 Organize your entryway or closet with the Songmics Shoe Rack that's on sale for just $16. Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2023
Adjective
Whether paired with heels, sneakers, or both (like Gaines), wide-leg jeans are the closet staple your wardrobe may be missing this spring. Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024 By calling Hobbes the only liberal worth reading, Gray implies that liberals are really closet totalitarians—and know it. Helena Rosenblatt, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 But, for many, its pieces have quietly become closet MVPs. Kerensa Cadenas, ELLE, 10 Aug. 2023 Blue Note club, offering up his own perspective on the post-closet experience by coming out about coming out. Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'closet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French closett, diminutive of clos enclosure — more at close

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of closet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near closet

Cite this Entry

“Closet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/closet. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

closet

1 of 2 noun
clos·​et ˈkläz-ət How to pronounce closet (audio)
1
: a small private room
2
: a cabinet or small room for china, household utensils, or clothing

closet

2 of 2 verb
1
: to shut up in or as if in a closet
2
: to take into a private room for an interview

More from Merriam-Webster on closet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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