closet 1 of 3

noun

ˈklä-zət How to pronounce closet (audio)
Definition of closetnext
1
as in pantry
a built-in space for storage behind a door a broom closet for the vacuum, carpet sweeper, ironing board, etc.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in room
an area within a building that has been set apart from surrounding space by a wall a huge walk-in closet

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3
as in cupboard
a storage case typically having doors and shelves a china closet in the Hepplewhite style

Synonyms & Similar Words

closet

2 of 3

verb

as in to house
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers he closeted himself in his study, vowing not to emerge until he had finished the term paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

closet

3 of 3

adjective

as in clandestine

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Dissimilar Words

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 closet
Noun
Tiu and their wife, Felize Camille, moved to the United States two years ago so the two of them could legally marry and live out of the closet. — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Amazon has plenty of budget-friendly styles that’ll liven up your closet just in time for the cooler months ahead. — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
Hoarding, often unfairly criticized by minimalists and closet organizers everywhere, is the art of keeping things that are useful, meaningful or may be surprisingly important some day. — Shivali H. Patra, Mercury News, 8 July 2026 France spoke at length about being cast on the show while he was still closeted to his family, which led to his coming out just two days before the premiere on Tuesday's episode of the Dinner's on Me podcast, hosted by Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 June 2026
Adjective
Cool Knits No matter the season, a lightweight yet luxurious knit is a forever closet classic—and this spring the offerings are as cool as ever. — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2025 Was this a closet right-winger keeping tabs on the socialists? — Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 4 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for closet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for closet
  1. pantry
  2. room
  3. cupboard
  4. house
  5. clandestine
  6. cabinet
  7. covert
  8. locker
Noun
  • The Fanta mascot peers out from a pantry door—the same pantry door that was in the house in Auckland where the Kings moved in 1960.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In the center of town, check out Inquiring Minds Bookstore for used and new books with a great kids’ section or Enoki for an eclectic mix of Asian pantry items and vintage clothing.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of pantry
Noun
  • Thus Johns’s color room is his kingdom, and there are certain hard-and-fast rules for admittance.
    — Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Pairing rolled clothing with compression packing cubes, like this Bagail six-piece set with mesh panels to easily see what’s inside, can help keep outfits organized while creating extra room for souvenirs on the way home.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of room
Noun
  • Cole recalled how, at the close of those early shows, the drawings were removed from their frames and returned to Auckland, to be put back in their cupboards.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • After that the science cupboard looks more threadbare, and NASA could use some major new mission starts.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of cupboard
Verb
  • In 1985, Dior issued a limited edition bracelet meant to house their famous Poison perfume, a thick, hollow noodle finished with resin stoppers that could be filled with the scent.
    — Chloe Schama, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Animation series will be housed at the Hotel Sina Bernini Bristol, with new programs titled Animation Next and Gap Financing.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of house
Adjective
  • Or that the Apollo moon landing in 1969 was staged, the video shot on some clandestine movie set.
    — Susan Page, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The clandestine manner in which LG monitors were installing ad-pushing software onto third-party devices, however, remains seriously concerning.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Noun
  • Yi offers her readers a dazzling cabinet of curiosities, exploring spirituality, desire and the desperate ways people grasp at each other.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • At the height of the trend in the 2010s, gray walls, flooring, cabinets, and countertops were viewed as a white alternative that was easier to style and design with.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cabinet
Adjective
  • Over the last decade, covert tests have revealed vulnerabilities at security checkpoints, with one in 2015 showing a nearly 96% failure rate at screening fake explosives.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The film imagines a colorful, family-friendly realm concealed just under the surface of video games themselves, populated by a covert guild of guardians tasked with keeping each title operating and preserving every player’s journey.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of covert
Noun
  • The use of remote lockers and location pickup climbed 14 percent year over year and surpassed buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup as the leading alternative fulfillment method.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez, while not officially promoted, had a locker in the Yankees’ clubhouse on Tuesday.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of locker

Phrases Containing closet

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closest
closet
closeted
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Cite this Entry

“Closet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closet. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on closet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about closet

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