furtively

[ fur-tiv-lee ]

adverb

1. in a surreptitious, secret, or stealthy way:

   For decades, people living under Soviet censorship listened furtively to the news from the free world beamed by Radio Free Europe or the Voice of America.

   Moonshine is untaxed liquor, furtively produced by the light of the moon—or at least out of the immediate reach of law enforcement.

2. in a sly or shifty way:

   In the next scene, he darts furtively into a pharmacy storeroom to steal poison.

Word History and Origins

Origin of furtively¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; furtive ( def ) + -ly ( def )

Example Sentences

The labels are just one of Apple’s new policies to give users more privacy at the possible expense of the app economy, which largely relies on collecting and selling furtively acquired user data.

From Vox

We don’t understand what it’s made of or what its properties are, but it’s out there in the celestial background, furtively holding the Milky Way together.

From Quanta Magazine

I still remember, years ago, furtively kissing my girlfriend in my childhood bedroom at my family’s during the holidays.

From Washington Blade

First off, there’s a big difference between furtively flowed mouth sex with George Clooney and having sex with George Clooney.

From Ozy

I had barely seen another human for months, and those were mostly fellow face-masked shoppers on furtive grocery missions.

From Outside Online

Afterward, Oswald develops the photographs at his job, furtively.

From The Daily Beast

The appeal: they are “judgment-free zones where the like-minded can mingle freely and furtively.”

From The Daily Beast

On the night of Feb. 11, 2011, Sherif Mansour walked onto his balcony, furtively lit a cigarette, and began to cry.

From The Daily Beast

Schon, Michaele once furtively told me, was one of the true loves of her life.

From The Daily Beast

“I think people are furtively hoping that Hillary runs,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

Brisley and Gunn, standing very close together on the bottom step of the stair to the third floor, watched the police furtively.

From Project Gutenberg

On calm days there came sinister vessels that sneaked furtively among the fleet.

From Project Gutenberg

Her eyes, veiled behind the long lashes of their drooping lids, followed him furtively.

From Project Gutenberg

Cash would sit and watch him furtively; but Bud was too engrossed with his own misery to notice it.

From Project Gutenberg

Professor Theobald looked furtively round, as if seeking some one, or watching the effect of his conduct on Mrs. Temperley.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• clandestinely
• covertly
• personally
• privately
• quietly
• stealthily
• surreptitiously