clandestine
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Clandestine action—the stuff of thrillers and Hollywood hits—has traditionally served a less colorful policy purpose, somewhere between diplomacy and war.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025
A part of it, £17,000 in suspected criminal assets were seized and a heavy goods vehicle detained at Holyhead Port in Wales over an unpaid Clandestine Entrants Civil Penalty worth £144,000.
From BBC • May 23, 2025
Near the end of the auction, Daniel Hoffman, a former CIA Clandestine Services officer, unveiled a Ukrainian flag signed by Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, and a Ukrainian national team soccer jersey.
From Washington Times • May 22, 2023
There’s something appealing about a secret sign language being manufactured into cloth used for commerce in clothing or furnishings — an International Clandestine style.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2022
The Clandestine Marriage was the most respectable of the performances, the rest were sing-song and trumpery; but it did very well for Lizzie and Marianne, who were indeed delighted, but I wanted better acting.
From Jane Austen, Her Life and Letters A Family Record by Austen-Leigh, William
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.
