clandestine
adjective /klænˈdes.tɪn/ formalDefinition
› planned or done in secret, especially describing something that is not officially allowed: The group held weekly clandestine meetings in a church. He has been having a clandestine affair with his secretary for three years. She undertook several clandestine operations for the CIA.Secrecy and privacy clandestinely /-li/ adverb
(Definition of clandestine adjective from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
Browse the Dictionary
Browse the Thesaurus
SMART Thesaurus
Synonyms and related words:
- anonymity noun
- anonymous adjective
- backroom noun
- backstage adjective, adverb
- be none of sb's business idiom
- covertly adverb
- coy adjective (SECRET)
- crypto- prefix
- dead men tell no tales idiom
- entre nous adverb, adjective
- my lips are sealed idiom
- off the record idiom
- off-message adverb, adjective
- official secret noun
- on the quiet idiom
- trade secret noun
- ulterior adjective
- under the table idiom
- under wraps idiom
- undisclosed adjective
Topic:
Secrecy and privacy
Word of the Day
Blog
Read our blog about how the English language behaves.
New Words
Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.
