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
-
Pfizer outbid Novo Nordisk for Metsera in a messy M&A fight last year that involved dueling lawsuits and anticompetitive claims.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026 -
While mixtures of two or three metals were messy and unstable, the five-metal combination paradoxically self-organized into a single, uniform product, streamlining 31 possible chemical outcomes into a single, precise nanocrystal.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Filling out the role of Ilya is Jay Armstrong Johnson; Jimin Moon plays Shane; Ryann Redmond plays a wine-mom narrator who lives for their clandestine love.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
For those escaping to Philadelphia from regions nearer to Pennsylvania, clandestine travel by small boat or by road was more likely than stowing away on a steamship.—
Jeremy Mennis,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
His earliest mature paintings, often filled with snarling creatures arranged in chaotic formations, started to include monochromatic backgrounds that became a staple in his art.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Alongside the duo’s elevation, the raging crowds for Yeat’s live shows became both electric and chaotic.—
Miki Hellerbach,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Khatri approached the undercover officer who had just presented the store’s clerk with a fake $1,000 winning ticket, court records show.—
Jack Jankowski,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
-
This image provided by the Justice Department and contained in the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint shows Victor Manuel Rocha during a meeting with a FBI undercover employee.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Marlins were sloppy early, committing two fielding errors (by left fielder Stowers and pitcher Anthony Bender).—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
Now, that doesn’t excuse Amad’s extremely sloppy pass, straight to Dominik Szoboszlai, who ran through unchecked to score.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Lothar Speer During his sentencing in 2024, federal prosecutors said the full damage caused by Rocha's decades-long covert relationship with Cuba may never be fully known.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
Ukraine has also conducted long-range covert drone strikes launched from within Russian territory, including attacks on strategic airbases using drones concealed in trucks or civilian infrastructure, demonstrating the increasing reach of low-cost UAV systems into deep strategic targets.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the past, her songs were so littered with personal details that listening felt voyeuristic.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
-
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
-
Some solitary wasps build many nests together in a community, and some live in nests underground so hanging decoys wouldn’t make a difference.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
-
Instead, Putin spends more time in underground bunkers micromanaging his war, paranoid about a coup or an assassination attempt by Ukrainian drones, sources told the Financial Times.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Hugger-mugger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hugger-mugger. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
