top secret

adjective

Definition of top secretnext
as in confidential
kept completely hidden from the public by high government officials top secret documents The mission is top secret.

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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 top secret Most of the information in question was classified as top secret, according to the indictment. — Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 26 June 2026 Hugo is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes to arrange for Daniel’s theft of the top secret materials. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026 The indictment claims that the entries included sensitive information up to the top secret and sensitive compartmented information level, a designation that means it was derived from sensitive intelligence sources. — Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 4 June 2026 Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks kept Mickey Mouse top secret after a studio fallout had recently left Disney without the rights to his earlier creations. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for top secret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for top secret
  1. confidential
  2. personal
  3. restricted
  4. classified
  5. private
  6. esoteric
Adjective
  • The issue becomes much more serious if someone with confidential advance knowledge uses that information for personal financial gain.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In May 2022, the SEC said, Wolfe contacted Satsky seeking confidential updates on the regulatory approval process.
    — Chase Jordan August 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of confidential
Adjective
  • Instead, detectives say the group used falsified invoices and documents and transferred cash into personal bank accounts.
    — Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For an undergraduate student living off campus, Detroit Mercy estimates $3,220 for transportation and $10,830 for personal and miscellaneous expenses.
    — Adrienne Roberts, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of personal
Adjective
  • And yet, the Yankees could have used more length with the club set to start two restricted starters, Carlos Rodón (Game 1) and Max Fried (Game 2), in Saturday’s doubleheader.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Even a single night of restricted sleep can impair a leader’s cognitive performance, particularly memory.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of restricted
Adjective
  • The classified assessment of the Kremlin’s thinking preceded CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s secret trip to Moscow this week.
    — Warren P. Strobel, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Check with your school’s financial aid office to confirm how your program is currently classified.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of classified
Adjective
  • Some are worried about the legal implications of handling such large quantities of previously private game builds as well.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In the village of Bilbasovka in eastern Ukraine, a 13-year-old child and an adult died after Russian troops dropped bombs on private houses Sunday, according to local official Vadim Lyakh.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of private
Adjective
  • Baseball is a sport that thrives on statistics, no matter how esoteric, but there appears to be no record of a professional baseball player previously wearing a mechanical watch during a game.
    — Anthony DeMarco, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The rereleased games are fascinatingly esoteric, too, including the GBC versions of Croc, Croc 2, Earthworm Jim, and the Japan-only GB shmup, Chikyu Kaiho Gun Zas.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of esoteric

Browse Nearby Words

tops
top secret
top-shelf
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Cite this Entry

“Top secret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/top%20secret. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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