sneaking

American  

[snee-king] / ˈsni kɪŋ /

adjective

1. acting in a furtive or underhand way.

2. deceitfully underhand, as actions; contemptible.

3. secret; not generally avowed, as a feeling, notion, suspicion, etc.

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sneaking British  

/ ˈsniːkɪŋ /

adjective

1. acting in a furtive or cowardly way

2. secret

   a sneaking desire to marry a millionaire

3. slight but nagging (esp in the phrase a sneaking suspicion )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sneakingly
  adverb
• sneakingness
  noun
• unsneaking
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sneaking

First recorded in 1575–85; sneak + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Elliott checked and scrolled compulsively, bypassing the parental controls, sneaking down to grab his phone from the family charging unit in the kitchen at night.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

A group of women linked to Islamic State jihadists arrived in Australia on Thursday, returning home years after allegedly sneaking into Syria to join the group's self-declared caliphate.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

For most, this meant first sneaking across the Russian border at night with the assistance of a guide.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

In one post on X, Ortiz wrote: "Are you there? ... say something to me directly instead of sneaking around like you talking to me where I'm not at."

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Those workers had no idea that a fellow robot was sneaking through their underground home.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown