sneaking

[snee-king]

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.

sneaking

/ 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 )

Other Word Forms

• sneakingly adverb
• sneakingness noun
• unsneaking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sneaking¹

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

Example Sentences

Dawn said Sophie started sneaking out in the early hours and she instantly noticed the change in her when she got home.

From BBC

Perfect for weeknight experimentation, and ideal for sneaking into family favorites.

From Salon

From riding the beach cruiser through campus at night all buck naked to jumping into the Olympic pool, sneaking into the swim stadium because our dorm was right next to it.

From Los Angeles Times

“Emotion has a way of sneaking back in.”

From Los Angeles Times

Rebuilding could mean 100-loss seasons and an even greater drop in attendance; competing could mean sneaking into the playoffs with 84 victories.

From Los Angeles Times