Undercover Operations

9 words in this vocabulary list

covert informant investigative lie in wait plainclothesman pose as stakeout stool pigeon under wraps

covert

noun a shelter or hiding place

adjective not openly acknowledged or displayed

The covert operation was meticulously planned and executed by the intelligence agency.
I heard they're doing some covert stuff over at the old warehouse.
Let's keep this covert operation on the down low, okay?
Her smile was like a covert signal that only he could understand.

noun a person who provides information or assistance, especially to authorities

adjective pertaining to or serving as an informant

adjective describing a process or activity that involves conducting an investigation or research

The investigative team spent months gathering evidence for the case.
The detective did some investigative work to solve the mystery.
I heard the cops are doing some serious investigating on that case.
Her investigative skills are like a magnifying glass, always uncovering the truth.

noun a person or thing lying in wait

preposition in

The predator would lie in wait for its prey, patiently watching for the perfect moment to strike.
The burglars decided to lie in wait outside the house until the owners left for vacation.
The paparazzi would lie in wait outside the celebrity's house to get a shot of them.
Sometimes our fears lie in wait in the shadows of our minds, ready to pounce when we least expect it.

noun a person who wears ordinary clothes rather than a uniform, especially a police officer who does so in order to avoid detection while on duty

The plainclothesman observed the suspect from a distance before making an arrest.
The plainclothesman was able to blend in with the crowd while keeping an eye on the target.
The plainclothesman was like a ninja, sneaking around without anyone noticing.
She was a plainclothesman in the world of high fashion, always observing and analyzing without drawing attention to herself.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.

verb A word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being.

adverb A word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.

conjunction A word that connects words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence.

The impostor tried to pose as a doctor to gain access to sensitive information.
She likes to pose as a celebrity when she goes out to fancy restaurants.
Don't pose as someone you're not just to impress others.
His confident demeanor can sometimes pose as arrogance to those who don't know him well.

noun the act of staking out or watching a location for a period of time

The police conducted a stakeout outside the suspect's house to gather evidence.
We had to do a stakeout to catch the raccoon that's been getting into the trash cans.
Let's go on a stakeout to see if we can catch those kids who keep egging our house.
She felt like she was on a stakeout, waiting for her boss to make a decision on her promotion.

noun a person who provides information to the police or other authorities, often in exchange for special treatment or immunity

The police used a stool pigeon to gather information about the criminal organization.
I heard that Tommy is a stool pigeon for the boss, always telling him what we're up to.
Don't trust Joey, he's a stool pigeon and will rat you out in a heartbeat.
In the world of politics, it's common for politicians to use stool pigeons to leak information to the press.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb, indicating the manner, place, time, or degree of the action or description