Closet — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adjective /ˈklä-zət/ clos·et

Meaning & Definition of Closet

Closet (noun)

  1. an apartment or small room for privacy
  2. a monarch's or official's private chamber
  3. a cabinet or recess for especially china, household utensils, or clothing

Closet (verb)

  1. to shut up in or as if in a closet
  2. to take into a closet for a secret interview

Closet (adjective)

  1. closely private
  2. working in or suited to the closet as the place of seclusion or study, theoretical
  3. being so in private

Closet (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a built-in space for storage behind a door

    "a broom closet for the vacuum, carpet sweeper, ironing board, etc."

    similar: cuddy, cupboard, pantry, press
    related: ambry (chiefly British dialect), buttery (chiefly dialect), larder, spence (chiefly British dialect), cloakroom, coatroom, garderobe, vestiary, wardrobe

  2. an area within a building that has been set apart from surrounding space by a wall

    "a huge walk-in closet"

    similar: apartment, cell, chamber, room
    related: accommodation, bay, berth, booth, cabin, compartment, cubicle, alcove, niche, nook, recess, snuggery (chiefly British)

  3. a storage case typically having doors and shelves

    "a china closet in the Hepplewhite style"

    similar: buffet, cabinet, console, cupboard, hutch, locker, press, sideboard
    related: bookcase, breakfront, chest, china closet, credence, credenza, étagère, secretary, showcase, taboret, vitrine, cuddy, dresser, pie safe, armoire, clothespress, garderobe, wardrobe, cabinetry, shelving

Closet (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: box (in), cage, coop (up), corral, encage, encase, enclose, envelop, fence (in), hedge, hem (in), house, immure, include, mew (up), pen, wall (in)
    related: bound, circumscribe, confine, contain, limit, restrict, encircle, encompass, enfold, enframe, enlace, frame, ring, surround, armor, cocoon, encapsulate, encapsule, encyst, ensheathe, ensphere, enwomb

Closet (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in covert, clandestine

    similar: clandestine, collusive, conspiratorial, covert, silent, unadvertised, unannounced, undisclosed, unmentioned, unsaid, untold, furtive, hugger-mugger, occult, sneak, sneaking, sneaky, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, underground, underhand, underhanded, classified, restricted, top secret, personal, behind-the-scenes, confidential, esoteric, hushed, hush-hush, inside, intimate, nonpublic, private, privy, secret, closeted, concealed, hidden, repressed, silenced, stifled, suppressed, backstage, offscreen, offstage
    opposite: common, open, public, well-known, advertised, aired, announced, blazed, broadcast, declared, disclosed, divulged, enunciated, heralded, proclaimed, professed, promulgated, publicized, published, reported, spotlighted, general, popular, prevailing, vulgar, current, prevalent, rife, widespread, communal, shared

Related Entry: Water closet (noun)

Water closet is a different word from Closet. The synonyms below are for water closet, not for closet.

  1. a room furnished with a fixture for flushing body waste

    "the first house in town to have an indoor water closet"

    similar: bath, bathroom, bog (British), can, cloakroom (British), comfort station, convenience (chiefly British), head, john, latrine, lavatory, loo (chiefly British), potty, restroom, toilet, washroom
    related: commode, pan (British), pot, garderobe, jakes, outhouse, privy, half bath, powder room, ladies (chiefly British), ladies' room, men's room

Related Entry: China closet (noun)

China closet is a different word from Closet. The synonyms below are for china closet, not for closet.

  1. as in taboret, chest

    similar: bookcase, breakfront, chest, credence, credenza, étagère, secretary, showcase, taboret, vitrine, buffet, cabinet, closet, console, cupboard, hutch, locker, press, sideboard, cuddy, dresser, pie safe, armoire, clothespress, garderobe, wardrobe, cabinetry, shelving

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Closet

The most common words with a similar meaning to Closet:

cuddy, cupboard, pantry, press, apartment, cell, chamber, room, buffet, cabinet, console, hutch, locker, sideboard, box (in), cage, coop (up), corral, encage, encase, enclose, envelop, fence (in), hedge, hem (in), house, immure, include, mew (up), pen, wall (in), clandestine, collusive, conspiratorial, covert, silent, unadvertised, unannounced, undisclosed, unmentioned

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Closet

Words with the opposite meaning of Closet:

common, open, public, well-known, advertised, aired, announced, blazed, broadcast, declared, disclosed, divulged, enunciated, heralded, proclaimed, professed, promulgated, publicized, published, reported, spotlighted, general, popular, prevailing, vulgar, current, prevalent, rife, widespread, communal

Related Words for Closet

ambry, buttery, larder, spence, cloakroom, coatroom, garderobe, vestiary, wardrobe, accommodation, bay, berth, booth, cabin, compartment, cubicle, alcove, niche, nook, recess, snuggery, bookcase, breakfront, chest, china closet, credence, credenza, étagère, secretary, showcase

Word Forms of Closet

Inflections: closeted, closeting, closets

Derived words: closetful (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Closet

Middle English, from Anglo-French closett, diminutive of clos enclosure close

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Closet

closet drama, closet queen, china closet, glass closet, water closet, skeletons in the/someone's closet, walk-in closet

Frequently Asked Questions about Closet

What does "Closet" mean?

"Closet" means an apartment or small room for privacy. As an a noun, a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: an apartment or small room for privacy. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Closet"?

Other words for "Closet" include cuddy, cupboard, pantry, press, apartment, cell, chamber and room. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Closet" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Closet"?

There are 139 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Closet". Common alternatives include cuddy, cupboard, pantry, press, apartment, cell, chamber, room, buffet and cabinet.

What is the opposite of "Closet"?

Antonyms of "Closet" include common, open, public, well-known, advertised, aired, announced and blazed.

How do you use "Closet" in a sentence?

Examples of "Closet" in a sentence: "a broom closet for the vacuum, carpet sweeper, ironing board, etc."; "a huge walk-in closet"; "a china closet in the Hepplewhite style".

Is "Closet" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Closet" can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Closet"?

"Closet" is pronounced /ˈklä-zət/ and divided into syllables as clos·et.

What is the origin of the word "Closet"?

"Closet" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French closett, diminutive of clos enclosure close. First known use: 14th century.