Synonyms for

Undercover

Verb / ˌʌndɜ:ˈkʌvɜ: / Another word for undercover — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Undercover means working or done secretly, often for law enforcement.

Synonyms & similar words

underground hushhush secret surreptitious holeandcorner clandestine cloakanddagger huggermugger covert secret hidden disguised surreptitious clandestine stealthy furtive deceptive sneaky sly cloak-and-dagger confidential behind-the-scenes private unobtrusive camouflaged incognito unknown

Synonyms by register

Formal

clandestine covert surreptitious secret

Informal

on the sly sneaky hush-hush behind the scenes

Literary

veiled shadowy incognito

Antonyms

overt open public obvious apparent visible known

Common collocations

  • undercover agent
  • undercover operation
  • undercover investigation
  • undercover cop
  • undercover work
  • undercover mission
  • undercover boss

Word family

adjective undercover
adverb undercover

Usage note

Primarily used as an adjective to describe someone or something operating secretly, often in law enforcement or espionage. Can also function as an adverb.

Example sentences

  1. The spy went undercover to gather information.
  2. The police officer dressed up as a homeless person to go undercover.
  3. The undercover operation lasted for months before the criminals were caught.
  4. The detective used his undercover skills to infiltrate the gang.
  5. The journalist went undercover to expose corruption in the government.

Quotes

  • Undercover work is different from the other side, where you're sitting in an office and you know what the rules are, and you can say, 'Well, I'm not going to do that, it's against the rules.' There are no rules in undercover work. - Robert Mazur
  • I did a lot of undercover work, actually, in the '90s, when I was in the private detective business. It's not something I talk about a lot. - Harlan Coben
  • In the intelligence world, you learn to embrace change. I learned to be tenacious, to keep going no matter what happens, to roll with the punches. I learned to be a chameleon and an undercover agent. - Naveed Jamali

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