# privately

/ˈpɹaɪvətɫi/ (US) · /pɹˈaɪvətli/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/privately
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He told me it in private." but "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.

## Usage notes

- Typically follows the verb it modifies or appears at the end of the clause.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.