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sneaky

sneaky

101 4.4
Acting in a secret way to avoid being noticed or to get an advantage
  • adjective
  • /ˈsniːki/
translation icon : furtivo
  • His sneaky behavior made people suspicious of his true intentions.

So they have their kind of sneaky back entrance there.

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Examples

  • That's really sneaky of you, Sara.

  • What I was unprepared for, however, was how sneaky and cunning people can be.

    Blog text (3)
  • What kind of sneaky advice is that for a doctor to give?

    Academic text (2014)
  • You should always try to be a little bit sneaky.

  • But his answers generally are sort of sneaky ways to avoid taking a solid stand.

    Blog text (3)
  • We know just the place we want to go, but we've got to be sneaky or we'll be seen.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • So he figured out a very sneaky and excellent shortcut.

  • You're sneaky!

  • The sneaky raccoon stole food from the picnic table without anyone noticing.

  • She played a sneaky trick on her friend by hiding his phone.

Synonyms

secretive
vssneaky
71 4.9

A person who does not tell others about their plans or feelings

is more about dishonest concealment to gain advantage rather than mere privacy
devious
vssneaky
51 6.4

Acting in a dishonest or tricky way to get what you want

relies more on secret concealment and advantage seeking rather than indirect methods
deceitful
vssneaky
31 5.0

Acting in a dishonest way to make people believe something untrue

emphasizes secretive hiding to avoid notice rather than open deception
stealthy
vssneaky
19 6.3

Acting quietly and secretly to avoid being noticed

is more about secret gain or dishonesty rather than neutral quiet movement
shifty
vssneaky
17 7.4

A look or behavior that seems dishonest and hard to trust

is more about hidden advantage seeking and secret actions rather than mere appearance
underhanded
vssneaky
16 7.2

Acting secretly and dishonestly to gain an advantage over others

leans more toward quiet unnoticed actions to gain advantage rather than open trickery
furtive
vssneaky
14 7.5

To act quietly and secretly to avoid being seen

emphasizes advantage seeking secrecy rather than only fear driven hiding
conniving
vssneaky
8 8.0

Someone who secretly plans to do something dishonest or harmful

is more about private opportunistic moves to gain advantage rather than explicit planning
surreptitious
vssneaky
7 8.5

Done secretly because people would disapprove

is more about gaining advantage or dishonesty rather than only hiding disapproved acts
weaselly
vssneaky
  • Informal
4 8.4

A person who acts sneaky and dishonest to avoid clear answers

feels more like quiet secret advantage seeking than merely appearing untrustworthy
tricksy
vssneaky
1 9.1

Behaving in a sly way that tries to fool people

tends to be more simply secretive and advantage driven rather than playful tricking
lurky
vssneaky
1 9.9

Seeming secret and a little dangerous as if hiding in the shadows

is more about quiet advantage seeking rather than merely suspicious loitering
sleekit
vssneaky
  • Offensive
9.9

Acting in a secret, sly way to try to trick people

is more about simple secret advantage seeking rather than crafty charm or slyness

Antonyms

1.0

Truthful and fair, not cheating or lying

32 5.5

Being direct and honest when talking or acting

How Sneaky

underhanded
16 7.2
sly
31 4.9
sneaky
101 4.4
stealthy
19 6.3
secretive
71 4.9

Surface Forms

sneaky positive
sneakier comparative
sneakiest superlative

Morphology

sneaky = sneak (transparent) = sneak + y

Standard adjective formation from the verb 'sneak' with the meaning directly predictable as 'characterized by sneaking'.

Etymology

The word sneaky comes from the verb sneak, which means 'to move quietly or secretly'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of a snake slipping along without sound, so sneaky means acting in a secret or dishonest way to avoid being noticed.