| Main Entry: | sub rosa |
| Part of Speech: | adverb |
| Definition: | secretly |
Synonyms: |
clandestinely, confidentially, covertly, obscurely, privately |
| Main Entry: | behind one's back |
| Part of Speech: | adverb |
| Definition: | deceitfully |
Synonyms: |
covertly, secretly, sneakily, sub rosa, surreptitiously |
| Main Entry: | confidentially |
| Part of Speech: | adverb |
| Definition: | in secret |
Synonyms: |
behind closed doors, between ourselves, between us, between you and me, covertly, don't breathe a word, hushedly, in confidence, in on the ground floor, off the cuff, off the record, personally, privately, sub rosa |
Antonyms: |
commonly, familiarly, openly, publicly |
| Main Entry: | covert |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | clandestine, underhanded |
Synonyms: |
QT, buried, camouflaged, cloaked, concealed, disguised, dissembled, furtive, hidden, hush-hush, incog, incognito, masked, obscured, private, privy, secret, shrouded, stealthy, sub rosa, surreptitious, ulterior, under wraps, under-the-table, undercover, underhand, unsuspected, veiled |
| Notes: | covert (concealed, covered, hidden) is the opposite of overt (apparent, open to view, plain, public) |
Antonyms: |
aboveboard, candid, frank, honest, open, overt, public, unconcealed |
| Main Entry: | covertly |
| Part of Speech: | adverb |
| Definition: | clandestine, underhandedly |
Synonyms: |
by stealth, clandestinely, furtively, hush-hush, in camera, in holes and corners, on the QT, on the quiet, on the sly, privately, secretly, slyly, stealthily, sub rosa, surreptitiously, under wraps, undercover, wildcat |
Antonyms: |
candidly, frankly, honestly, openly, overtly, publicly |
| Main Entry: | furtive |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | sneaky, secretive |
Synonyms: |
artful, calculating, cautious, circumspect, clandestine, cloaked, conspiratorial, covert, crafty*, creepy*, cunning, disguised, elusive, evasive, foxy, guileful, hidden, hush-hush, insidious, masked, scheming, shifty, skulking, slinking, sly, stealthy, sub-rosa, surreptitious, tricky*, under wraps, under-the-table, undercover, underhand, underhanded, wily |
Antonyms: |
aboveboard, forthright, honest, open, truthful |
| Main Entry: | hush-hush |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | secret |
Synonyms: |
clandestine, classified, closet, confidential, covert, dark, private, restricted, sub-rosa, surreptitious, under-the-table, undercover |
Antonyms: |
known, public, revealed, told |
| Main Entry: | illegal |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | against the law |
Synonyms: |
actionable, banned, black-market, bootleg, contraband, criminal, crooked, extralegal, felonious, forbidden, heavy*, hot*, illegitimate, illicit, interdicted, irregular, lawless, not approved, not legal, outlawed, outside the law, prohibited, proscribed, prosecutable, racket, shady, smuggled, sub rosa, taboo, unauthorized, unconstitutional, under the table, unlawful, unlicensed, unofficial, unwarrantable, unwarranted, verboten, violating, wildcat, wrongful |
Antonyms: |
allowed, authorized, ethical, good, lawful, legal, legitimate, moral, permissible, right |
| Main Entry: | secret |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | underhand, clandestine |
Synonyms: |
backdoor, backstairs, camouflaged, classified, close, confidential, covert, cryptic, discreet, disguised, dissembled, dissimulated, furtive, hush-hush, in ambush, incognito, inside, restricted, secretive, sly, sneak, sneaky, stealthy, sub-rosa, surreptitious, top secret, unacknowledged, under false pretense, under-the-table, underhanded |
Antonyms: |
aboveboard, known, legal, legitimate, public |
| Main Entry: | secretly |
| Part of Speech: | adverb |
| Definition: | in hidden manner |
Synonyms: |
behind closed doors, behind someone's back, by stealth, clandestinely, confidentially, covertly, furtively, hush-hush, in camera, in confidence, in holes and corners, in secret, in strict confidence, insidiously, intimately, obscurely, on the QT, on the quiet, on the sly, personally, privately, privily, quietly, slyly, stealthily, sub rosa, surreptitiously, under the table, underhandedly, unobserved |
Antonyms: |
openly, publicly |