furtive
Americanadjective
-
taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret.
a furtive glance.
- Synonyms:
- covert, clandestine
-
a furtive manner.
- Synonyms:
- cunning, crafty, underhanded
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of furtive
First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin furtīvus, equivalent to furt(um) “theft” (compare fūr “thief”) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
If you're looking for a formal adjective to describe something sly or secret, sneak in furtive. Let's hope the teacher doesn't see your furtive attempts to pass notes in class! The adjective furtive is related to fūrtum, the Latin word for "theft or robbery." This is apparent as the expressions "to give someone a furtive glance" and "to steal a glance at someone" mean the same thing. If a person's manner is furtive, he or she is acting suspiciously. Secret, stealthy, and sly are all similar in meaning, but they lack this image of a thief's actions.
Vocabulary lists containing furtive
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Maria doesn’t buy this story and, aided by a local lawyer who drew up her father’s will, conducts her own furtive investigation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Even pro-AI residents have objected to the furtive maneuvering around data centers.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
And these furtive ads are so prevalent that mere diligence in scrolling or brush-ups on digital literacy aren’t sufficient solutions.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
The frenzied but furtive social scene contradicts the message from Myanmar authorities that the country is back to normal.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
You had to stand at the end of the garden with your back turned to the rest, and one by one they crept nearer to you, advancing in short, furtive fashion.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
