undercover

[ uhn-der-kuhv-er, uhn-der-kuhv- ]

adjective

1. working or done out of public sight; secret:

   an undercover investigation.

   Synonyms: hidden, clandestine, covert

2. engaged in spying or securing confidential information:

   an undercover agent.

undercover

/ ˌʌndəˈkʌvə /

adjective

1. done or acting in secret

   undercover operations

Word History and Origins

Origin of undercover¹

First recorded in 1850–55; under- + cover

Example Sentences

So we went undercover, sending our contact in to pose as an Iraqi man looking to reach the UK.

From BBC

Julie needs a senior citizen to go undercover in that “closed ecosystem” — that is, closed to her — to collect information, identify suspects and report back.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite the amount of public money going into Life Wirral, undercover filming by Panorama revealed concerns about a lack of funding for the school.

From BBC

Some staff at the Life Wirral independent school were recorded by an undercover reporter manhandling pupils and using derogatory and homophobic language.

From BBC

A pub worker has warned failures in the Ask for Angela safety scheme are putting vulnerable women at risk, after a BBC undercover investigation found more than half of participating venues failed to respond properly.

From BBC

Related Words

• covert