clandestine
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of clandestine
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin clandestīnus, from clamde, clande (unrecorded) (variant of clam “secretly” + -de, adverb particle) + -stīnus (probably after intestīnus “internal”; see intestine)
Explanation
Use the adjective clandestine to describe something that is done in secret, like your clandestine attempts to steal your brother's Halloween candy. Clandestine, an adjective imported from Latin, describes a secret, usually illegal activity. Often these things have to do with political and spy organizations. The CIA might run a clandestine operation to infiltrate terrorist organizations. Words with similar meanings include secret; covert, used especially for military matters; undercover, common in espionage; and surreptitious which emphasizes a person's efforts to keep something secret.
Vocabulary lists containing clandestine
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even though “war” is somewhat metaphorical here, it has always been waged like one, with military-grade equipment used to police neighborhoods, support clandestine spying operations and aid in the invasion of cities.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
McDonald's assessment was echoed by Marc Polymeropoulos, a 26-year veteran of the CIA who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and oversaw clandestine missions around the world.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Joe Biden’s clandestine 2023 train trip to Ukraine involved a false public schedule, but it also included two journalists—and everyone else found out about it as soon as Biden arrived.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Even though they never worked together, Highsmith, like Hitchcock, was captivated by the subversive and the clandestine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
To continue reading their favorite books, the Scholl children formed their own clandestine reading circle and shared forbidden books with others.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
