plainclothes
Not in uniform
Plainclothes describes police or other officials wearing civilian clothing rather than uniforms: plainclothes detectives, a plainclothes officer.
The term emphasizes the deliberate choice to blend in, typically for surveillance or undercover work.
Someone in plainclothes is dressed ordinarily rather than in official attire.
Non-military person
- casualRelaxed and informal
- everydayOccurring each day
- ordinaryStandard, unremarkable
- unadornedLacking decoration or ornament
inconspicuous · nondescript · unremarkable · mufti · civvies · off-duty · non-uniform · regular
Professional crime investigator
- investigatorOne who examines evidence
- officerAuthority figure in uniform
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- stakeoutProlonged covert observation
undercover · unmarked · sergeant · inspector · constable · patrol · squad · narcotics
Secretly engaged in espionage
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- infiltrateEnter secretly to observe
- stakeoutProlonged covert observation
- incognitoWith identity concealed
shadowing · tail · operative · informant · sting · reconnaissance · surreptitious · clandestine
civilian
Non-military person
unadorned · inconspicuous · nondescript · unremarkable · mufti · civvies · off-duty · non-uniform · regular · unassuming
detective
Professional crime investigator
- investigatorOne who examines evidence
- officerAuthority figure in uniform
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
stakeout · undercover · unmarked · sergeant · inspector · constable · patrol · squad · narcotics · vice
undercover
Secretly engaged in espionage
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- infiltrateEnter secretly to observe
- stakeoutProlonged covert observation
incognito · shadowing · tail · operative · informant · sting · reconnaissance · surreptitious · clandestine · wiretap
- Lawmensheriff, constable, marshal, deputy, lawman
- police slangperp, collar, bust, APB, BOLO
- crime investigationdetective, whodunit, investigation, detectives, investigator
- Criminal Investigationdetective, crime scene, crime investigation, forensics, investigator
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- mysteryclue, detective, suspect, clues, sleuth
plainclothesuniformed
Wearing prescribed outfit
uniform · military dress · dress uniform · full regalia · full dress
- plainclothes officerNon-uniformed police agent
- plainclothes manUnmarked police officer