# incognito

/ˌɪnkɔɡˈnitoʊ/ (US) · /ɪnkɒɡnˈiːtəʊ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/incognito
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

using a fake name or wearing a disguise so that people do not recognize you. You use this when you want to keep your identity secret while in public.

For teachers: having one's true identity concealed, typically through the use of an assumed name or a disguise. Often follows a linking verb or functions as a postpositive modifier.

## Examples

- The famous actor traveled incognito to avoid the cameras.
- She browsed the internet in incognito mode to prevent the browser from saving her search history.
- The monarch occasionally walked through the city incognito, hoping to understand the true concerns of the citizenry without the filter of royal protocol.

## Usage notes

- Often used predicatively after 'be' or 'travel', or as a postpositive adjective following the noun it modifies.

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