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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Adding a dust ruffle around the base of your bed can make this spot even better for keeping messy items hidden.—
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026
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Art Supplies Art supplies will get messy fast if those tubes and bottles leak or burst.—
Adjective
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The show’s original pair of fathers, who secretly orchestrate the clandestine love affair between their children, are now mothers.—
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Saimar Rivas, Armas’s partner and a longtime civil-rights activist, told me that he had been taken to a clandestine site run by the SEBIN, Venezuela’s intelligence agency.—
Adjective
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Paul’s chaotic yet candid nature quickly uplifted her to reality TV icon status, so much so that ABC named her their next star of The Bachelorette.—
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Dispatch recordings from firefighters who were first on the scene at Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra’s home early Thursday reveal a chaotic and fast-moving fire that left crews scrambling to find water and to contain the spreading flames.—
Adjective
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Nine years after foiling a lucrative weapons tradeoff and delivering Roper to Syrian captors, Pine has gone undercover again, eventually reuniting with foreign investigator Angela Burr (Colman) as an MI6 operative.—
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Can the Faithfuls work together or will the Traitors go undercover and pick off the Faithfuls one by one?—
Adjective
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The soft knit fabric drapes just right, giving that relaxed vibe without looking sloppy.—
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Practice had been a bit a sloppy at times, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher had a wide smile anyway Thursday afternoon.—
Adjective
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Danish media reported that at least three people with connections to Trump carried out covert influence operations in Greenland.—
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Federal statute mandates the president inform a bipartisan group of eight, high-ranking members of Congress prior to particularly covert operations.—
Adjective
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The series does not touch on the tabloid attention that followed the Beckhams in 2004, when it was alleged that David had an affair with his personal assistant, Rebecca Loos, and the many further accusations of cheating that littered gossip columns after.—
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Adjective
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The request for additional money was made after underground utility and other site placement needs were identified while designing a new floor plan.—
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As Season 2 gets underway, commuters on an underground train are taken hostage, and authorities scramble to save hundreds of lives.—
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Cite this Entry
“Hugger-mugger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugger-mugger. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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