clandestine

adjective

klan-ˈde-stən How to pronounce clandestine (audio)
Definition of clandestinenext
as in undercover
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others I took a clandestine peek at the price tag on the diamond necklace

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word clandestine distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of clandestine are covert, furtive, secret, stealthy, surreptitious, and underhanded. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

When is it sensible to use covert instead of clandestine?

The words covert and clandestine can be used in similar contexts, but covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

When might furtive be a better fit than clandestine?

While the synonyms furtive and clandestine are close in meaning, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

Where would secret be a reasonable alternative to clandestine?

In some situations, the words secret and clandestine are roughly equivalent. However, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

When can stealthy be used instead of clandestine?

Although the words stealthy and clandestine have much in common, stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

When is surreptitious a more appropriate choice than clandestine?

The meanings of surreptitious and clandestine largely overlap; however, surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

When could underhanded be used to replace clandestine?

While in some cases nearly identical to clandestine, underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of clandestine Her assessment of the gang’s clandestine meetings quickly becomes key to unlocking the investigation. —Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 May 2025 Tired of using bulky night vision goggles for your clandestine nocturnal activities? —Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 May 2025 The fiery combination of Mars trine Venus sparks things up in your clandestine 12th house of secrets and eighth house of intimate affairs. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 22 May 2025 Locals frequented it to make use of its dance hall, and its clandestine operations during Prohibition lend it even more cachet. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for clandestine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clandestine
  1. undercover
  2. covert
  3. underground
  4. private
  5. surreptitious
Adjective
  • So is this mystery novel secretly the story of The Gilded Age and is this an undercover crossover?
    — Nick Romano, EW.com, 6 June 2025
  • The missing money controlled by Velazquez was supposed to go toward undercover narcotics operations.
    — Charles Rabin, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • Striking Iran’s nuclear program would likely set off a much larger conflict in which Israel and the United States hunt for covert Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran retaliates in the Middle East and beyond.
    — Richard Nephew, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2025
  • Mon Mothma's speech Mon Mothma's covert support of the Rebels becomes public following the devastating events of the Ghorman Massacre.
    — Nick Romano, EW.com, 25 May 2025
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • Autonomous trams and underground trains operate in many European countries, and a variety of transportation vehicles move autonomously in closed environments such as factories and ports.
    — Forrester, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • The plant spreads through underground rhizomes but can be propagated by seeds, stem cuttings, or divisions.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 June 2025
Definition of underground
Adjective
  • Back in August 1993, an eight-year-old Harry, along with his older brother Prince William, then 11, enjoyed a private visit to Walt Disney World in Florida with Princess Diana.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • Redstone kept her diagnosis private, sharing it with only a tight circle of relatives, close friends, and advisers including David Ellison, the Skydance head and tech heir, whose company is set to purchase Paramount and the Redstone family’s stake, NYT added.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 6 June 2025
Definition of private
Adjective
  • Reporters from around the country followed the case, which marked the first time ever that prosecutors would play for a jury a surreptitious FBI recording of mob soldiers taking the oath of omerta during a mafia initiation ceremony.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2025
  • For example: In 2003, a group of Providence, Rhode Island, artists embarked on a project combining installation art and surreptitious living arrangements.
    — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of surreptitious

Browse Nearby Words

clan
clandestine
clandestinely
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Cite this Entry

“Clandestine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clandestine. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of clandestine for Spanish Speakers

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