sneaky

[snee-kee]

adjective

sneakier, sneakiest 

1. like or suggestive of a sneak; furtive; deceitful.

Other Word Forms

• sneakily adverb
• sneakiness noun
• unsneaky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sneaky¹

First recorded in 1825–35; sneak + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Digital correspondence is deleted into the ether, sneaky evasions that are beyond the biographer’s grasp.

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She tells me she is bringing a very different energy to this character as she's "lively, loud and very sneaky. She will manipulate anyone to get what she wants".

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“It was just a sneaky, ultra-personal question, because I do know the meaning of life but I’m not going to tell anyone. Work it out yourself.”

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In her opinion, they were the “sneaky heart of the season” because White understood their relationship so well.

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There are still subversive ideas — for one thing, this is a shark film with precious few sharks — but Byrne’s sneaky smarts have largely abandoned him.

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Related Words

• devious 
• disingenuous 
• nasty 
• shifty 
• sly 
• tricky