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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Russia’s departure from World War 1 led to a savage revolution; its loss in Afghanistan heralded the messy collapse of the Soviet Union; and Moscow levelled much of Grozny before giving Chechnya autonomy in 1996.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026 -
The last case highlights the messy and contentious process the Founding Fathers underwent to form the federal government.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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Some may be announced publicly; others may happen in more clandestine ways.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
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But clandestine flows aren’t the biggest factor behind the market calm.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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The truth in this case — as is often true — is specific, chaotic, at times just dumb.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
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The world is chaotic and noisy, and her approach demands patience, of which supply is limited.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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In 2005, an undercover investigator from the FDA called the farm and was told the milk was safe for human consumption.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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Following a months-long undercover operation, in which a female officer posed as a romantic interest to extract information, Stagg was taken into custody, per The Guardian.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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Earlier, a pair of Harry Kane goals — his ninth and 10th at World Cups — had twice put England ahead, only for some sloppy defending and smart attacking play to give Croatia a route back.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
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Instead of one scammer typing out sloppy messages from a laptop, this setup worked more like a criminal software business.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The film follows cybersecurity expert Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor), who lifts secret files about the existence of aliens from Wardex, a covert non-government organization that used to employ him.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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The investigation also linked the activity to China based on IP addresses associated with a LinkedIn account and a Gmail account tied to the covert recruitment scheme.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
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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.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The park combines green space with underground stormwater detention systems that can hold roughly two million gallons during a major rain event.—
Ravi S. Bhalla,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
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Subway cars erupted in cheers as fans peeped the winning shot on their cellphones, their feeds interrupted at times by spotty underground reception.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hugger-mugger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugger-mugger. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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