Meanings
plural closet cases
- idiomaticslangA person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity.
Even self-styled liberated gay and straight people sometimes call outspoken bigots "closet cases".
1979 December 15, Rick Hillegas, “Workers World Party (response)”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 21, page 51 more example
Now this one portrays the drill instructor as an extreme/suicidal if he ever admits it closet case.
1986 February 25, Ray EMD & S Admin 223-5027, “More on Stereotypes/gays in Film”, in net.motss (Usenet)Synonyms: closet, closet queen
- idiomaticslangA person who is shunned, ignored, or considered to be an embarrassment.
Closet case at Delta Upsilon is shunted to the basement....
1956 September 24, Frank Scherschel, Gary Villet, “Fraternity Rushing”, in LIFE Magazine, page 1441 more example
Under-expectation on the part of the parent... can range from a complete refusal by the father to accept the fact that the child does exist (a closet case)...
1964, Paul H. Babbitt, “APPRAISAL OF PARENTAL ATTITUDES”, in Journal of Rehabilitation, volume 30, number 1, pages 20–21
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity.
Origin
From closet + case. First use appears c. 1946 in the Washington Post.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Danish skabsbøsse
- skabsbøssea person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
Finnish kaappihomo
- kaappihomoa person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
Russian скрытый гей
- скрытый гей (skrytyj gej)a person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
Spanish armarizado, enclosetado
- armarizadoa person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
- enclosetadoa person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
- closeteroa person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
- reprimidoa person who conceals or denies their sexuality or gender identity
Cite this entry
closet case. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/closet%20case
“closet case.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/closet%20case. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “closet case,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/closet%20case.
Source: closet case on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.