undercover

2 of 3

noun

as in spy
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country within the city was a well-organized fifth column, and these undercovers would make themselves known as soon as the invading forces breached the city limits

Synonyms & Similar Words

undercover

3 of 3

adverb

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 undercover
Noun
Truth Teller reporters repeatedly go undercover to nail down relatively trivial scoops, appearing, in the process, to flagrantly violate the Society of Professional Journalists’ ethical guidelines. Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025 In it, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Eli Manning goes undercover in heavy prosthetics and a wig and dons the alias Chad Powers to try out as a walk-on quarterback for Penn State football. Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Meanwhile, the police send in state trooper Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) undercover to infiltrate Costello’s crime organization. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Michael Fassbender stars as Martian, a CIA spy who’s recalled to London after years of living deep undercover in Ethiopia. Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for undercover
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undercover
Adjective
  • The Bundy family’s statement noted this and said their destination was not clandestine, as the FBI document alleged.
    Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The result was the Commandos, who operated in clandestine raids behind the lines to harass the enemy with remarkable success.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Woman of the Hour In her directorial debut, Anna Kendrick stars as aspiring actress Sheryl Bradshaw, who unknowingly crosses paths with a covert serial killer (Daniel Zovatto) while appearing on The Dating Game.
    Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • That provision allows a president to take covert actions as long as Congress is informed.
    Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The duo plays Emily and Matt, a married pair of ex-CIA spies forced out of retirement and back into the world of espionage after their secret identities are revealed.
    Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Cianfrance supplies a real jerk of a manager in Peter Dinklage’s Mitch, on whom Jeffrey spies by setting up baby monitors in the back office.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • By placing the reactors deep underground, the company hopes to solve some of the long-standing challenges of nuclear power.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
  • From finding oil deep underground to turning it into jet fuel or making your favorite tennis racket, there are multiple segments—each one with its own opportunities, risks, and investment vehicles.
    Jay R. Young, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
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
Adjective
  • North was convicted in 1989 on three felony charges for helping to arrange the illicit sale of weapons to Iran and divert the proceeds to fund a secret war against anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The in-game map also purposefully obscures some of the game's secret nooks and crannies, which can only be found with careful observation (or a handy walkthrough).
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • One is Julie Stauch, a longtime Iowa political operative who launched her bid in June.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The report also detailed how its AI capabilities were being misused by North Korean operatives who used it to obtain remote jobs at tech companies.
    Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • By the episode's end, however, he's set his sights on Morgan, having surreptitiously slipped a note into her grocery bag.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Inevitably, a few students were surreptitiously checking smuggled screens that day.
    Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Undercover.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undercover. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on undercover

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!