keep it covert

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "keep it covert" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize the need for secrecy or discretion regarding a particular action or information. Example: "We need to keep it covert to ensure that our plans are not discovered by the competition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The amount of stuff it will see...  and also to make sure you can keep it covert, particularly if you've got a firearm.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The question was raised in Greece last year, and leaders decided to keep it in the euro, even at the cost of overt and covert debt-forgiveness.

The Economist

3. Keep it brief.

BMC Public Health

However, because it is usually covert and informal with no records kept, it is extremely hard to identify and quantify".

BBC

After recovering from a post-9/11 war wound, economist Jack Ryan is recruited by the CIA to keep a covert eye on sinister financial transactions.

The Guardian - Film

Elvis had turned up at the White House unannounced – furious about the country's decline and about youngsters' infatuation with those leftie Brits, the Beatles; he wanted a sit-down with the president to discuss this, and privately request a special federal-agent-at-large badge so he could keep a covert eye on drug-taking in the entertainment community.

The Guardian - Film

Certainly, most journalists see the need to keep covert missions secret.

The New York Times

The stamp stands for Secondary Security Screening Selection, and Ms. In 't Veld said the pattern suggested how the U.S. authorities keep covert tabs on foreign travelers, who have no practical way of finding out if the information held on them is accurate.

The New York Times

However, it is alleged that Boyling claimed in court that he was Jim Sutton, a cleaner from east London, to keep secret his covert infiltration of the campaigners.

The Guardian

"Some districts do not have the facilities to keep covert our undercover officers," Lieutenant William Kilroy, a senior narcotics officer at the Homan Square-based bureau of organized crime, said in his November deposition.

The Guardian

The e-mail messages "show Victor Conte communicating with professional athletes and coaches about steroids, defeating steroid testing, attempts to keep these activities covert and concealing financial transactions," Mr. Novitzky wrote in the affidavit.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When instructing someone to "keep it covert", clarify the specific aspects that need to remain secret to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid assuming the recipient understands the boundaries of what needs to be kept secret. Clearly define what information or actions should remain undisclosed to prevent unintentional breaches of confidentiality.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "keep it covert" functions as an imperative, directly instructing someone to maintain secrecy. As supported by Ludwig AI, this command aims to ensure that information or actions remain hidden.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "keep it covert" is a grammatically correct and usable imperative phrase that instructs someone to maintain secrecy. According to Ludwig AI, its usage is relatively rare. It's most commonly found in news and media contexts, but also appears in science and formal business settings. While the phrase itself is straightforward, clarifying the scope of what needs to remain covert is crucial to avoid misunderstandings. Alternative phrases like "maintain secrecy" or "ensure confidentiality" can be used for a more formal tone. In conclusion, "keep it covert" serves as a directive for discretion, emphasizing the need to hide information or actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

maintain secrecy

Replaces "keep it" with a more formal verb and noun.

ensure confidentiality

Substitutes both "keep" and "covert" with more formal equivalents.

keep it under wraps

Replaces "covert" with an idiomatic expression conveying secrecy.

handle it discreetly

Shifts focus to the manner of handling, implying secrecy.

operate clandestinely

Replaces the entire phrase with an adverb describing the mode of operation.

keep it hush-hush

Uses an informal, reduplicative expression for secrecy.

maintain a low profile

Focuses on avoiding attention rather than direct secrecy.

act in secrecy

Emphasizes the state of being secret during action.

keep it quiet

A more general expression for keeping something secret or private.

conceal the matter

Replaces "keep it" with a verb emphasizing the act of hiding something.

FAQs

How can I use "keep it covert" in a sentence?

You can use "keep it covert" when instructing someone to maintain secrecy about a particular action or piece of information. For example, "We need to keep it covert to avoid alerting our competitors."

What's a more formal way to say "keep it covert"?

More formal alternatives include "maintain secrecy" or "ensure confidentiality". These options are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

What does "keep it covert" mean?

"Keep it covert" means to maintain secrecy or to keep something hidden or private.

Is "keep it covert" the same as "keep it secret"?

While similar, "keep it covert" often implies a more strategic or operational need for secrecy, whereas "keep it secret" is a more general instruction. Alternatives to "keep it secret" includes "keep it confidential" or "keep it under wraps".