covertly

/ˈkʌvətli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkəʊvɜːrtli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkō-(ˌ)vərt-lē, kō-ˈvərt-; kə-ˈvərt-/ (ame, mw)

covertly — adverb

1. in a way that keeps actions, feelings, or plans hidden from others who might not

1.副詞C1
釋義

in a way that keeps actions, feelings, or plans hidden from others who might notice or object

例句

The detective watched the suspect's house covertly from a parked van across the street.

verb + covertly at end of clause

Government agents had been covertly monitoring the group's online messages for months.

同義詞
  • secretly

    the most common and general term; fits both everyday and formal contexts without implying active concealment

  • stealthily

    emphasises quiet, cautious movement to avoid detection, often with a physical or visual dimension

  • surreptitiously

    suggests sneaky or dishonest concealment, often when someone does something they should not

反義詞
  • openly

    in a way that is visible or known to others; without hiding anything

  • overtly

    formal opposite; done in an obvious, observable way without concealment

文法句型

covertly + verb

verb + covertly

covertly + past participle

用法筆記

Unlike 'secretly', which can describe internal states (e.g. secretly hoped), 'covertly' primarily describes observable actions that are intentionally hidden from view or knowledge.

常見錯誤

❌The cat covertly watched the bird from behind the curtain.
✅The cat secretly watched the bird from behind the curtain.
💡'Covertly' sounds overly formal for everyday, non-strategic situations; use 'secretly' for casual contexts involving animals or children.