surreptitiousness

9.3

Habit of doing things in a hidden way

noun
/ˌsɜːrəpˈtɪʃəsnəs/

: surrepticiosidad

The surreptitiousness of their actions raised suspicions among the team.

Examples

Her surreptitiousness in planning the surprise party made it truly special.
The surreptitiousness of it all.

Miller's Girl (2024)
The politician's surreptitiousness only fueled rumors of corruption.

Synonyms

hiding

vssurreptitiousness

201 2.7

Being where other people cannot find you to stay safe

is about secretive acting or stealth, not only staying out of sight

secrecy

vssurreptitiousness

165 4.4

Keeping information hidden from other people

is about acting in hidden, stealthy ways rather than only withholding facts

stealth

vssurreptitiousness

117 6.5

Quiet movement to avoid being seen or heard

is the overall secretive quality rather than a single secret action

concealment

vssurreptitiousness

8 5.0

Keeping something hidden or secret

is the general secretive quality focusing on behaviour not just hiding objects

closeness

vssurreptitiousness

1 5.3

A secret way of behaving that hides someone's plans

is the broader hidden or stealthy quality beyond just not being open

sneakiness

vssurreptitiousness

1 6.0

Doing things quietly to trick people without them noticing

is the neutral hidden or stealthy quality without the added deception

secretiveness

vssurreptitiousness

1 6.5

The habit of not telling people things or hiding information from them

is the general secretive quality beyond a simple habit of withholding information

concealing

vssurreptitiousness

1 5.3

An act of hiding something so people do not know about it

is the broader secretive quality, not only the act of hiding things

stealthiness

vssurreptitiousness

1 7.3

Quiet and secret actions to avoid being noticed

is a broader secretive quality not limited to quiet movement

hiddenness

vssurreptitiousness

1 7.8

A state in which something is out of sight and hard to notice or understand

is the quality of acting stealthily rather than mere invisibility

caginess

vssurreptitiousness

1 7.5

A tendency to be careful and secret about giving information

is the general stealthy quality not focused mainly on cautious withholding

furtiveness

vssurreptitiousness

8.8

Trying to avoid being seen or noticed

is the general secretive quality without implying a wish to avoid notice

covertness

vssurreptitiousness

8.7

Being secret so other people do not know about it

is the quality that focuses on acting hidden or moving stealthily

clandestinity

vssurreptitiousness

Archaic

9.9

The state of being secret to avoid being noticed

is the general secretive quality not focused only on avoiding detection

surreption

vssurreptitiousness

Archaic

9.9

Doing something in secret to avoid being noticed

is the enduring quality of secrecy rather than one secret act

privateness

vssurreptitiousness

6.5

Being alone and not seen by other people

is active secretive behaviour focused on hiding actions, not only being away

Antonyms

transparency

146 3.7

Being clear so people can see or understand how something works

openness

22 3.5

Being honest and clear about your actions and intentions

How Secret

secrecy

165 4.4

surreptitiousness

9.3

privacy

756 3.7

Surface Forms

surreptitiousness singular

surreptitiousnesses plural

Morphology

surreptitiousness = surreptitious (transparent) = surreptitious + ness

A regular nominalization: '-ness' added to the adjective 'surreptitious' yields 'the quality of being surreptitious', a directly derived meaning.

Etymology

The word surreptitiousness comes from the Latin verb surripere, which means 'to steal secretly' and combines sub- 'under' with rapere 'to take'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine quietly 'snatching' something without being seen, so surreptitiousness means the quality of being secretive or hidden.