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.
As Béatrice’s amateur detective work pulls her in deeper, the strands begin to suggest a conspiracy, one marked by mysterious disappearances and the clandestine sway of the Vatican.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Gradually a picture of OpenAI agents’ clandestine activities beyond Hugging Face has emerged, stretching back to the fall of 2025, the swarm chasers say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Rules followed by American companies are also unlikely to bind foreign rivals, a hostile government, or a clandestine organization.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
There was no inkling that he would end up down the road at Highbury instead, the deal sealed during clandestine meetings with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and vice-chairman David Dein.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
I still had a number of clandestine meetings in the city and townships that evening.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
