an undercover operation designed to catch drug smugglers
Synonyms
secret
I was heading on a secret mission that made my flesh crawl.
covert
They have been supplying covert military aid to the rebels.
clandestine
They are said to have been holding clandestine meetings for years.
private
He held a private meeting with the country's political party leaders.
hidden
The den was hidden in the undergrowth.
intelligence
underground
accused of organizing and financing an underground youth movement
spy
concealed
He was filmed with a concealed camera.
confidential
She accused them of leaking confidential information.
hush-hush (informal)
Though these meetings were hush-hush there were sometimes leaks.
surreptitious
They had several surreptitious conversations.
Opposites
open
,
plain
,
visible
,
manifest
,
overt
,
unconcealed
Additional synonyms
in the sense of clandestine
Definition
secret and concealed
They are said to have been holding clandestine meetings for years.
Synonyms
secret,
private,
hidden,
underground,
concealed,
closet,
covert,
sly,
furtive,
underhand,
surreptitious,
stealthy,
cloak-and-dagger,
under-the-counter
in the sense of concealed
He was filmed with a concealed camera.
Synonyms
hidden,
covered,
secret,
screened,
masked,
obscured,
covert,
unseen,
tucked away,
secreted,
under wraps,
inconspicuous
in the sense of confidential
Definition
spoken or given in confidence
She accused them of leaking confidential information.
Synonyms
secret,
private,
intimate,
classified,
privy (archaic),
off the record,
hush-hush (informal),
closed or closed source,
protected
Nearby words of
undercover
under way
under your own steam
underclothes
undercover
undercurrent
undercut
underdeveloped
Synonyms of 'undercover'
undercover
Explore 'undercover' in the dictionary
undercover
(ʌndəʳkʌvəʳ)
adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Undercover work involves secretly obtaining information for the government or the police.
...an undercover operation designed to catch people smugglers.
...undercover FBI agents.
...undercover reporters.
Synonyms: secret, covert, clandestine, private More Synonyms of undercover
Undercover is also an adverb.
Swanson persuaded Hubley to work undercover to capture the killer.
undercover in British English
(ˌʌndəˈkʌvə)
adjective
done or acting in secret
undercover operations
undercover in American English
(ˌʌndərˈkʌvər)
US
adjective
acting or carried out in secret
undercover work as a spy
Examples of 'undercover' in a sentence
undercover
But the most dangerous part of his career wasn’t his undercover work.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Motorists who drive dangerously close to cyclists as they overtake are to be targeted by undercover police on bicycles.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Undercover officers watched as he took a fare to Heathrow.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
IT has to be one of the worst places to go undercover.
The Sun (2016)
The capture follows months of undercover police work and a surveillance operation.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Trading standards officers used pretend drunks in an undercover operation to catch out pubs.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Second day in a row working undercover at the turkey farm.
The Sun (2011)
An undercover police operation tracked mobile phone calls and meetings between the conspirators.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But the father works undercover and is always on the move.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Detectives then set up an undercover operation to trap the suspects.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But will he finally get some credit as he volunteers to go undercover on a dangerous building site?
The Sun (2008)
Her undercover work was instead used to paint a picture of a woman who could not be trusted.
The Sun (2010)
There are understood to be concerns that any such move might endanger retired undercover officers who used the cover names.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Their methods are now more subtle, using the techniques of journalists involved in undercover investigations.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
When he goes undercover, he discovers flaws in the fundraising operation that could be costing millions.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The computer had access to details of hundreds of officers, investigations and undercover operations.
The Sun (2008)
We've tightened up the way undercover operations can happen.
The Sun (2014)
I decided to go undercover and find out.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The main concern of his 300 undercover police spies had always been sniffing out political enemies of the revolutionary government.
Colin Beavan FINGERPRINTS: Murder and the Race to Uncover the Science of Identity (2002)
GOVERNMENT workers are being trained to avoid giving benefit claimants details of hardship payments and other emergency funds, an undercover investigation has found.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They were also charged, but cleared at trial, with the murder of an undercover police officer who had them under surveillance over the bullion raid.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
undercover
British English: undercover ADJECTIVE
Undercover work involves secretly obtaining information for the government or the police.
...an undercover operation designed to catch smugglers.
American English: undercover
Brazilian Portuguese: secreto
Chinese: 秘密的
European Spanish: clandestino
French: d'infiltrationN
German: Geheim-
Italian: segreto
Japanese: 秘密の
Korean: 첩보의
European Portuguese: secreto
Latin American Spanish: secreto
Additional synonyms
in the sense of covert
Definition
concealed or secret
They have been supplying covert military aid to the rebels.
Synonyms
secret,
private,
hidden,
disguised,
concealed,
veiled,
sly,
clandestine,
underhand,
unsuspected,
surreptitious,
stealthy
in the sense of hidden
Definition
difficult to find
The den was hidden in the undergrowth.
Synonyms
concealed,
covered,
secret,
covert,
unseen,
clandestine,
secreted,
under wraps,
unrevealed
in the sense of hush-hush
Definition
(esp. of official work) secret and confidential
Though these meetings were hush-hush there were sometimes leaks.
Synonyms
secret,
confidential,
classified,
top-secret,
restricted,
under wraps
in the sense of private
Definition
confidential or secret
He held a private meeting with the country's political party leaders.
Synonyms
secret,
confidential,
covert,
inside,
closet,
unofficial,
privy (archaic),
clandestine,
off the record,
hush-hush (informal),
in camera
in the sense of surreptitious
Definition
done in secret or without permission
They had several surreptitious conversations.
Synonyms
secret,
clandestine,
furtive,
sneaking,
veiled,
covert,
sly,
fraudulent,
unauthorized,
underhand,
stealthy
in the sense of underground
Definition
secret; clandestine
accused of organizing and financing an underground youth movement