hugger mugger

/ˈhʌɡər ˈmʌɡər/
adjective
  1. Confused, disorderly, or in a state of chaos.
    • The office was in a hugger-mugger mess after the power outage.
    • They lived in a hugger-mugger house where nothing was ever put away.
    • The planning was so hugger-mugger that nobody knew what to do next.
  2. Secretive or done in a way meant to avoid notice.
    • There was something hugger-mugger about the way they left the building.
    • The deal was arranged in a hugger-mugger fashion, with no public records.
    • She spoke in a hugger-mugger whisper, as if afraid of being overheard.
Antonyms
noun
  1. A state of confusion or disorder.
    • They tried to bring some order to the hugger-mugger of the garage sale.
    • Everything was in a hugger-mugger after the storm hit.
    • The kitchen was a hugger-mugger of pots and pans.
  2. Secret or underhanded activity.
    • There was too much hugger-mugger in the company's accounting.
    • The old mansion was rumored to be the site of much hugger-mugger.
    • The investigation revealed a hugger-mugger of bribes and hidden deals.
What does "hugger mugger" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean