cryptic behavior
Puzzling, secretive actions
Cryptic behavior is conduct that is mysterious, secretive, or difficult to interpret.
Someone exhibiting cryptic behavior may give evasive answers, act strangely without explanation, or seem to be hiding something: His cryptic behavior before the party made sense once we realized he was planning a surprise.
The phrase often implies suspicion that the person knows more than they're revealing.
- hidingStaying out of sight
- camouflageConcealment through visual blending
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
- espionageCovert intelligence gathering
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
smoke and mirrors · obfuscation · hidden agenda · inscrutability · secretiveness · keeping mum · passive-aggressiveness · silent treatment · mixed signals · misdirection · evasiveness · playing dumb · nocturnal activity · poker-faced · poker face · ambiguity · cryptography · double entendre
cryptic behaviorcandor
Unguarded truthfulness
openness · full disclosure · wearing one's heart on one's sleeve · directness · bluntness