clandestine

adjective

clan·​des·​tine klan-ˈde-stən How to pronounce clandestine (audio)
 also  -ˌstīn or -ˌstēn,
 or  ˈklan-də-
: marked by, held in, or conducted with secrecy : surreptitious
a clandestine love affair
clandestinely adverb
clandestineness noun
clandestinity noun

Did you know?

In 1658, the English poet John Milton wrote of "clandestine Hostility cover'd over with the name of Peace." Today, clandestine is used in much the same way. The word often substitutes for secret and covert, and it is commonly applied to actions that involve secrecy maintained for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose. It comes to English by way of Middle French, from Latin clandestinus, which is itself from Latin clam, meaning "secretly."

Choose the Right Synonym for clandestine

secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation.

secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

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

underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Examples of clandestine in a Sentence

The clandestine meetings, the passing back and forth of messages between Lodge and the plotters, the coaxing along of the generals, all had the emotional lift of a strong amphetamine. Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
The CIA's great innovation has been to concentrate in peacetime on 'covert action'—that is, the use of clandestine means to challenge policies and regimes in other countries. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., The Cycles of American History, 1986
And Pym was in London for a conference—no, he wasn't, he was attending a three-day course on the latest methods of clandestine communication in a beastly little training house off Smith Square. John le Carré, A Perfect Spy, 1986
I took a clandestine peek at the price tag on the diamond necklace.
Recent Examples on the Web The enduring mystery of the Phoenix Lights has fueled speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial visitors or clandestine government activities. The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Is the clandestine virus constantly provoking the immune system, causing symptoms? Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Short-sellers — some public, like Bill Ackman, but most clandestine — often employ a shared strategy, both cynical and potentially effective. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Finding a female protagonist proved challenging but Milo was eager to participate despite the risk, and actively contributed ideas, particularly for certain scenes that required re-enactments, as clandestine filming was deemed too unsafe. Lise Pedersen, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 There will continue to be secrets that only humans can collect and clandestine operations that only humans can conduct. William J. Burns, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024 Complicating traceability efforts is the existence of a parallel, clandestine network that the Trase consultancy estimates may supply as much as 60% of Ivory Coast’s beans. Mumbi Gitau, Fortune Europe, 27 Feb. 2024 The protesters formed a clandestine network — including architects, welders, engineers and construction workers. Luis Antonio Rojas, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Before the invasion, the C.I.A. and MI6 had trained their Ukrainian counterparts on recruiting sources, and building clandestine and partisan networks. Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clandestine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Latin; Middle French clandestin, from Latin clandestinus, from clam secretly; akin to Latin celare to hide — more at hell

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clandestine was circa 1528

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Cite this Entry

“Clandestine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clandestine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clandestine

adjective
clan·​des·​tine klan-ˈdes-tən How to pronounce clandestine (audio)
: done in secret
a clandestine meeting
clandestinely adverb

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