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

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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

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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
With a closet full of styling tricks worth borrowing, her latest looks couldn’t come at a better time, especially with the change in seasons—because who doesn’t need a little fall wardrobe TLC? — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026 No suicide note found Jurors saw more graphic photos of Birchmore in her apartment, hanging from the closet door with a duffle bag strap. — Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
For everyday storage, a boot rack or closet shelf can keep pairs organized and upright. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026 Despite being publicly anti-gay, however, Cohn himself was secretly closeted. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Here, four Aupen Nirvana bag options — ranging in price from $340 to $420 — that will quickly become closet staples and enrich your ensembles for years to come, no matter how the trend cycle shape-shifts. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025 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 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
  • This annual tradition provides live performances and holiday cheer while promoting donations to community food pantries.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Wiping cloths stored around the kitchen, dry pantry, prep tables, etc.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of pantry
Noun
  • As many as four thousand cymbals pass through that room in a day.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There, Seyfried plays out Fielder’s memory of Holmes leaving the room before Evans demands to be paid to participate in the documentary.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of room
Noun
  • Revitalift products have been in my mom’s bathroom cupboard for some time.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The front cupboard hatch door, meanwhile, folds down to access the interior and create another surface for work and storage.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of cupboard
Verb
  • The store houses Smythson’s full selection, and also features a dedicated bespoke stationery salon, the only one outside of London, where customers can book a one-on-one appointment with a stationery specialist.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The gallery’s New York flagship has been located on the Upper East Side since 2014, in a set of historic buildings comprising some 17,500 square feet that formerly housed the National Academy Museum.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of house
Adjective
  • Bridgers’ tour restricts phones, so the reader’s account had to stand in for the clandestine photo that might otherwise have accompanied the sighting.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Soviet Union operated an extensive clandestine biological weapons program despite being a party to the Biological Weapons Convention.
    — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Noun
  • Rather than lighting an entire room, try task lighting like reading lamps, under-the-cabinet light strips, and desk lamps that illuminate a workspace.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026
  • If four of the most consequential members of Grace’s staff/cabinet quit en masse, what will become of her administration?
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of cabinet
Adjective
  • This year has seen several notable incidents involving both overt and covert threats to undersea infrastructure, including Iranian efforts to impose fees on operators of undersea cables running through the contested Strait of Hormuz.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • From hippies to covert racists, psychedelics to cult-like workshop leaders, this is a world where any difference is still scrutinized and looked down on.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of covert
Noun
  • Ohtani didn’t rule anything out in his postgame scrum, several rows deep, in front of his locker after the Dodgers’ 6-4 defeat in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The locker real estate in the team’s second arena was something the proud parent didn’t even consider as part of his son’s Heat takeover.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of locker

Phrases Containing closet

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Cite this Entry

“Closet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/closet. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on closet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about closet

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