cloak-and-dagger

American  

[klohk-uhn-dag-er] / ˈkloʊk ənˈdæg ər /

adjective

1. pertaining to, characteristic of, or dealing in espionage or intrigue, especially of a romantic or dramatic kind.

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cloak-and-dagger British  

noun

1. (modifier) characteristic of or concerned with intrigue and espionage

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Etymology

Origin of cloak-and-dagger

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cloak-and-dagger

"This cloak-and-dagger act speaks to the deception behind these accusations and to their weakness," he added.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

By evening’s end, a frazzled Ventura senior citizen — during a cloak-and-dagger assignation — had uttered a secret code to a person who claimed to be law enforcement, then handed him $25,000.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

This time, however, President Santiago Peña Palacios will save Lai’s team the trouble of logistical cloak-and-dagger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026

It’s a pale substitute for the delicious tension inherent to deadly cloak-and-dagger exploits.

From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2025

We played a cloak-and-dagger game, passing notes in books and such.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals