sleeper agent
Undercover operative waiting
A sleeper agent is a spy who establishes themselves in a target country or organization and lives normally—sometimes for years—until activated for a mission.
The term emphasizes dormancy: the agent "sleeps" until needed.
The novel follows a sleeper agent who has built a family and career before receiving orders.
Extended to anyone lying low while awaiting their moment.
- infiltratorOne who enters covertly
- moleSubterranean insectivore
- spyCovert information gatherer
- brainwashedMentally manipulated into compliance
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
awakened · deep cover · cover story · triggered · espionage · embedded · clandestine · tradecraft · dormant · dead drops · activation · codeword · undercover · long game · asset · CIA · psychological manipulation · surveillance
- espionagespy, spies, double agents, spying, moles
- Spy Fictionspy, MI6, CIA, KGB, undercover
- Agentsspy, operative, CIA officer, intelligence officer, case officer
- plot twistsplot twist, twist ending, surprise ending, unexpected turn, final reveal
- spiesJames Bond, spy, Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, Austin Powers
- stealthsneak, ninja, creep, spy, skulk
sleeper agentfield agent
Deployed intelligence operative
handler · case officer · agent provocateur · operative · saboteur
sleeper agentcounterintelligence agent
One who thwarts espionage
counterspy · loyalist · double agent · patriot · defector
sleep, agent, agency, sleepy, agenda, sleeping, slept, sleeper, sleepiness