cloak-and-dagger

adjective

cloak-and-dag·​ger ˈklōk-ən(d)-ˈda-gər How to pronounce cloak-and-dagger (audio)
Synonyms of cloak-and-daggernext
: dealing in or suggestive of melodramatic intrigue and action usually involving secret agents and espionage
a cloak-and-dagger novel
cloak-and-dagger noun

Examples of cloak-and-dagger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After that, the next shot at a massive, cloak-and-dagger ratings boost will arrive on March 8, when LA squares off with the Celtics in another primetime ABC showcase. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 Feb. 2025 And on the subject of foreign affairs and cloak-and-dagger exploits, Aatish Taseer joins us from Tokyo with an incredible yarn. — airmail.news, 23 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cloak-and-dagger was in 1860

Rhymes for cloak-and-dagger

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Browse Nearby Words

cloak
cloak-and-dagger
cloak-and-sword
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Cite this Entry

“Cloak-and-dagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloak-and-dagger. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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