Dictionary

open secret en · NOUN

Meanings

1. Information that is widely known, but not acknowledged openly.
   • It is now an open secret that Gulf states have developed ties with Israel, in the absence of formal relations, including trade partnerships and security deals. 2018 November 3, Hassan Hassan, “The Arab Winter Is Coming”, in The Atlantic:
   • Speed limits apply at many points on the line, in addition to the general 25 m.p.h. limit over the whole Dromod-Belturbet section, but it is an open secret that speeds often rise above the statutory limit. 1951 May, R. K. Kirkland, “The Cavan & Leitrim Railway”, in Railway Magazine, pages 343-344:
   • At that time, the corruption in the mayor's office was an open secret.
   • 1894, Alvan S. Southworth, "A Generation of the New York Bar", in Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly (later The American Magazine), Volume XXXVII, page 427, It was an open secret in the profession at that time that Mr. Field had very explicit documentary evidence that would have made Mr. Evarts very uncomfortable had the Bar Association thrown down the gauntlet.
   • The relationship between [Laurent] Freixe and his subordinate was an “open secret” in the company's management, current and former Nestlé executives tell the FT. 2025 September 20, Madeleine Speed, Mercedes Ruehl, “The meltdown at Nestlé”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6:
2. (dated) Information that is not widely known, despite being freely available.
   • The wonderful dining options in this city are hidden gems — an open secret.

Forms

Relateds

ostensibility

Synonyms

secret of Polichinelle

Translations (13)

id rahasia umum (widely known fact not mentioned) · yue 公開嘅秘密 /公开嘅秘密 (widely known fact not mentioned) · de offenes Geheimnis (widely known fact not mentioned) · fr secret de Polichinelle (widely known fact not mentioned) · hu nyílt titok (widely known fact not mentioned) · es secreto a voces (widely known fact not mentioned) · pl tajemnica poliszynela (widely known fact not mentioned) · cmn 公開的秘密 /公开的秘密 (widely known fact not mentioned) · ja 公然の秘密 (widely known fact not mentioned) · fi julkinen salaisuus (widely known fact not mentioned) · nl publiek geheim (widely known fact not mentioned) · it segreto di pulcinella (widely known fact not mentioned) · cs veřejné tajemství (widely known fact not mentioned)