in public
in public — idiom
1. in a place or situation where other people are present and can see or hear what
in a place or situation where other people are present and can see or hear what you are doing, especially when contrasting this with being alone or in a private setting
Eri hates singing in public, even though she has a beautiful voice.
contrast between private ability and public performance
The mayor admitted his mistake in public during the town hall meeting.
common with verbs of admitting, confessing, or apologising
Some people behave very differently in public than they do at home with their families.
It was the first time the couple had been seen in public together since their wedding.
Kabir is a quiet man who rarely raises his voice in public.
- publicly
adverb form often interchangeable, e.g. 'admitted publicly' vs 'admitted in public' — slightly more formal
- openly
adds the nuance of hiding nothing, not just visibility
- in front of others
more literal, often used for physical presence rather than broadcast
- in private
the direct opposite — away from others' view or hearing
- in secret
implies deliberate hiding rather than just privacy
用法筆記
Most often used to contrast behaviour or events in the presence of others with what happens in private — the phrase itself carries no grammatical restriction.