1
as in messy
lacking in order, neatness, and often cleanliness
a hugger-mugger presentation of the facts of the case that left everyone confused
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
a tale of hugger-mugger doings and international espionage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hugger-mugger
Adjective
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Nearly two months have passed since a trade finalized the messy breakup between Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, but the ugly ending to their time together will be a popular topic of conversation for the next few days.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2025 -
And yet, something about Careless People—beyond the court order, the messy PR spectacle, and Wynn-Williams’s formidable storytelling abilities—feels urgent, even necessary right now.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Director Jeremy Workman and editor Paul Murphy knew there was more nuance to the story than a clandestine performance piece, though.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2025
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TdA is undertaking hostile actions and conducting irregular warfare against the territory of the United States both directly and at the direction, clandestine or otherwise, of the Maduro regime in Venezuela.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Why Talent Alone Won’t Cut It: The Role Of Engineering Standards And Best Practices Many companies mistakenly believe that hiring top-tier engineers automatically leads to high-quality software, but even the best engineers can’t thrive in a chaotic environment.—
Sebastian Avila,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Carter arrives as a fumbling, awkward, lovable med student—the audience surrogate in the chaotic and intense environment of a fictional Chicago emergency ward.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In a hearing Tuesday, Mr. Ratcliffe said the officer was not undercover.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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Attorneys for the Department of Justice are contesting Taal’s alleged timeline of the facts, after his lawyers said undercover immigration officers showed up at his residence last week in retaliation for filing the lawsuit.—
Gloria Pazmino,
CNN,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Then Gungnir covert sniper rifle seems like a bargain, relatively speaking, at just $12,867.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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In the letter, Grassley wrote that the records would help shine a light on the Nazi planning of the covert escape routes.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Chicagoans will have no one to hold accountable at the ballot box when the buses don’t arrive and rail stations are filthy and crime-ridden.—
Forrest Claypool,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
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The plastic waste China received was filthy, much of it too dirty to be cleaned, shredded, and turned into new plastic.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This week, Alphonse grapples with the yearning for the 2000s in UK underground rap videos.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
21 Mar. 2025
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In that time, Tucci appeared in a number of films as either a foot soldier, don, or other apparatchik of an underground criminal organization, including Quick Change, Men of Respect, Billy Bathgate, and The Public Eye.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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With respect to a private creditor pursuing relief in state court, the answer is yes.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
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To help administer the fund, in 1997 the FCC created the Universal Service Administrative Company, a private not-for-profit corporation that helps determine the amount larger carriers must contribute to it and disburses money to program beneficiaries.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Hugger-mugger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugger-mugger. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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