Word
privately
Phoneticspri·vate·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɹaɪvətɫi/
UK/pɹˈaɪvətli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. in a way that does not involve other people or the public. You use this when you want to keep a conversation or action secret or personal.
adv. in a manner that excludes public presence or knowledge; restricted to a specific person or small group.
Examples
“They need to speak privately about the matter.”
“The manager asked to see the employee privately to discuss the recent performance review without distractions.”
“Although the politician supported the bill in public, he privately expressed deep reservations about its long-term economic impact during closed-door meetings.”
Examples
simple
“They need to speak privately about the matter.”
contextual
“The manager asked to see the employee privately to discuss the recent performance review without distractions.”
complex
“Although the politician supported the bill in public, he privately expressed deep reservations about its long-term economic impact during closed-door meetings.”
Usage
Typically follows the verb it modifies or appears at the end of the clause.
Pitfall
He told me it in private.
He told me privately. / He told me in private.
Learners often confuse the adverb 'privately' with the prepositional phrase 'in private'; do not use 'in' before the adverb form.
Etymology
From private + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/privately