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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According to Damien Routely, these include messy ownership of decisions and no reliable view of cash or delivery cadence, which indicate a weak and unclear leadership structure; the inability to properly articulate what the business actually is, and a refusal to listen and assimilate feedback.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026 -
While a community can often feel divisive, separate, messy, and broken, this event celebrates the truth that those differences can be woven into a beautiful unity of caring and hope, according to a news release.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Manned semisubmersibles built in clandestine jungle shipyards have been used for decades to ferry cocaine north from Colombia, the world's biggest cocaine producer, to Central America or Mexico.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Written and directed by Jafar Panahi (known for his clandestine 2011 documentary This Is Not a Film), the story follows released political prisoners seeking revenge after a chance roadside meeting.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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While navigating Westport by car or on foot is chaotic right now, the goal is to prevent destruction in the future.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
26 Jan. 2026
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Lazy Susans and magnetic spice racks turn chaotic fridges and spice shelves into functional spaces.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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According to the District Attorney’s Office, Akers was working undercover as part of a task force when Stewart, 46, ran from uniformed law enforcement officers and then hid inside an unlocked tow truck.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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The undercover investigators later spoke with Lorenz by phone.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Jeans This ‘90s-style denim by Levi’s has a slightly slouchy fit (that doesn’t border on the side of sloppy) with a straight leg.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
20 Jan. 2026
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The same traits—sloppy reasoning but a desire for collective punishment—animate other immigration-policy announcements.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Over the course of the novel, each Flynn girl is suspended from school at least once for some screwball infraction, including spreading conspiratorial theories about covert surveillance operations in town, punching another kid in the face, and preparing to commit an act of domestic terrorism.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
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After Cruise's Ethan Hunt is falsely accused of planting a bomb that nearly obliterates the Kremlin, he is secretly tasked with exposing the real culprit, teaming with fellow agents Jane (Paula Patton) and Benji (Simon Pegg) and an intelligence analyst (Jeremy Renner) on a covert mission.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Jan. 2026
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.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Cigarette butts are the most littered item on the planet.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For the next two years, David spent most of his time held captive in underground tunnels built beneath the Gaza Strip.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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The casino also will have a players lounge; 11 bars, including a center bar and a sports bar; and 3,500 parking spaces, consisting of a 2,700-space underground parking garage and 800 surface parking spaces.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Jan. 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 30 Jan. 2026.
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