undercover assignment

[ˌʌndərˈkʌvər əˈsaɪnmənt]
nounpl: undercover assignments
operação encoberta
1. a secret mission or task given to a law enforcement officer, intelligence agent, or operative who works in disguise or under a false identity to gather information or apprehend criminals
The FBI agent was assigned an undercover assignment to infiltrate the crime syndicate.
O agente do FBI foi designado para uma operação encoberta para se infiltrar no sindicato criminoso.
2. a covert operation where someone assumes a hidden role or alias to obtain intelligence or evidence
Her undercover assignment lasted six months before she could reveal her true identity.
Sua operação encoberta durou seis meses antes que ela pudesse revelar sua verdadeira identidade.
This term is heavily used in both American crime dramas and Brazilian police procedural television shows. In Brazil, undercover assignments are typically conducted by federal police (Polícia Federal) and are significant topics in news coverage of organized crime investigations. The concept carries cultural weight in both countries as a symbol of law enforcement commitment to combating crime.
NYC Slang
deep cover op
Synonyms / Sinônimos
covert operationundercover operationsecret missionclandestine assignmentspy missiondeep cover assignment
Antonyms / Antônimos
overt operationtransparent assignmentpublic assignmentofficial assignment

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
operação encoberta
standard term used in law enforcement and media contexts
General Brazilian
missão encoberta
alternative commonly used in military and security contexts
São Paulo
operação encoberta
primary usage in federal police (PF) communications
Portugal
operação enrustida
Portuguese variant; less formal term sometimes used
Portugal
operação secreta
more general term used in official Portuguese contexts

Related Words

undercover agentsurveillanceespionageinfiltrationintelligence gatheringstakeoutsting operationdeep cover

Related Idioms & Phrases

go undercover
work undercover
blow someone's cover
under the radar
play both sides
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