Covert means hidden, secret, or disguised. When something is covert, it's deliberately kept out of sight or done in a way that others won't notice.

Spies conduct covert operations, sneaking into places or gathering information without anyone knowing they're there. A detective might keep a suspect under covert surveillance, watching their movements without being spotted. During World War II, covert agents worked behind enemy lines, pretending to be ordinary citizens while secretly helping the Allies.

The word describes actions meant to stay hidden. A student passing a note under the desk is making a covert attempt to communicate. A covert glance means looking at something quickly without letting others notice. When you move in a covert way, you're trying not to draw attention to yourself.

The opposite of covert is overt, which means open and obvious. An overt threat is clear and direct, while a covert threat might be disguised as something harmless. Covert activities require careful planning because discovery usually means failure. That's why the word often appears in spy novels, military contexts, and situations where secrecy matters more than speed.