covert action

American  

noun

1. a secret action undertaken to influence the course of political events, as a government intelligence operation.

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Etymology

Origin of covert action

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Whether the attack was one carried out by traditional military assets or through some other means, such as a destructive cyber operation or a covert action led by the Central Intelligence Agency, is also uncertain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

Ned Price, deputy to the US representative to the United Nations and formerly a CIA senior analyst and State Department senior adviser, said CIA covert action can take "many forms."

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

The form of this response, be it a direct military strike, cyberwarfare, or a covert action has not been publicly revealed.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2024

The FBI is charged with combating foreign influence operations that include covert action seeking to impact political sentiment or public discourse.

From Washington Times • Apr. 25, 2023

It also resorted to covert action when it thought this was justified—and during the Cold War, justification was easy to find.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield