Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Clandestine
adjective
/ klan-DES-tin /
Medium
Meaning
Kept secret or done in secret, especially for illicit or improper purposes.
Origin / Etymology
Latin clandestinus (secret, hidden), from clam (secretly)
Synonyms
Covert
Furtive
Surreptitious
Antonyms
Overt
Transparent
Public
Example Sentence
"Intelligence agencies identified a clandestine network of hawala operators funding cross-border terrorism through fictitious import-export transactions."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Use in GS3 Internal Security and GS2 International Relations answers when discussing covert operations, terrorist financing networks, money laundering, or proxy warfare. Also relevant in GS2 when discussing surveillance and privacy debates.
Relevant Subjects
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