sleeper agent

noun

A spy who is placed in a target country or organization, not to undertake an immediate mission, but rather to act as a potential asset if activated.

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Meanings

nounsleeper agent (plural sleeper agents)

plural sleeper agents

  1. A spy who is placed in a target country or organization, not to undertake an immediate mission, but rather to act as a potential asset if activated.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
sleeper

Translations

Arabic جَاسُوس نَائِم
  • جَاسُوس نَائِم (jāsūs nāʔim)spy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Chinese Mandarin 潛伏特工 /潜伏特工
  • 潛伏特工 /潜伏特工 (qiánfú tègōng)spy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Finnish nukkuva agentti
  • nukkuva agenttispy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
French agent dormant, agent en sommeil
  • agent dormantspy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
  • agent en sommeilspy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Italian agente dormiente
  • agente dormientespy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Polish śpioch, uśpiony agent
  • śpiochspy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
  • uśpiony agentspy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Portuguese agente adormecido, agente dormente
  • agente adormecidospy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
  • agente dormentespy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Russian спя́щий аге́нт
  • спя́щий аге́нт (spjáščij agént)spy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Spanish agente durmiente, agente dormidor
  • agente durmientespy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
  • agente dormidorspy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Swedish sovande agent
  • sovande agentspy placed in a target country or organization to act as a potential asset
Cite this entry
APA

sleeper agent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeper%20agent

MLA

“sleeper agent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeper%20agent. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sleeper agent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeper%20agent.

Source: sleeper agent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.