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 Five Mexican nationals were indicted on federal drug trafficking and weapons charges this week after authorities discovered a clandestine methamphetamine lab in Northern California, leading to the seizure of nearly 3,000 pounds of the drug, officials said. —Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026 For the three people left in the world who remain uninitiated, breakout stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie play Shane Hudson and Ilya Rozanov, two rival hockey captains who fall in love over the course of a decade of yearning and clandestine hookups. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2026 Adult Swim viewers became part of a late-night collective bearing witness to clandestine artifacts anyone who went to bed at a reasonable hour would only hear about from their bleary-eyed friends. —Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026 The documentary is built around the investigative work of journalists Katya Hakim and Denis Korotkov who picked up the mantle from three colleagues who were brutally slain while looking into Wagner’s clandestine activities in Africa. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clandestine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clandestine
  1. undercover
  2. covert
  3. underground
  4. sneak
  5. private
  6. surreptitious
Adjective
  • Some of the ammunition was purchased from co-conspirators by undercover officers, prosecutors said.
    — Sierra van der Brug, Oc Register, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Working with a different undercover officer, this time in a European city, Chalker successfully extracted Bernadine to America.
    — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • That secret, a CNN investigation has found, centered on China’s covert plans to massively expand its nuclear ambitions.
    — Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Movies set in the world of top-secret spycraft and covert operations have entertained audiences for decades.
    — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • Some researchers believe ancient peoples sought relief from heat in the caves, which were fed by fresh underground water.
    — Ryan Brennan April 4, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The New York Times, citing US intelligence reports, said Iranian personnel have been digging out underground missile bunkers and silos struck by American and Israeli bombs and returning them to operation hours after attacks.
    — Arsalan Shahla, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of underground
Adjective
  • Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song And the internet has receipts.
    — Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017
Definition of sneak
Adjective
  • While some people with private insurance pay zero or very little, others pay hundreds of dollars each month on top of other costs for their diabetes, like pumps, blood glucose sensors and other supplies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Fundraising for the project through private donations also drew controversy.
    — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of private
Adjective
  • Confronted with larger workloads and a shrinking headcount, AI — both the kind officially approved by companies and more surreptitious uses — has made its way via support staff into essential Hollywood workflows, including the creative development process.
    — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Welcome to the era of surreptitious seafood, an industry gamble that overcoming Americans’ relative disinterest in the meat of the sea is all a matter of making fish look and taste less like, well, fish.
    — J.m. Hirsch, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
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 6 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on clandestine

Nglish: Translation of clandestine for Spanish Speakers

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