sneaky
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sneaky
Explanation
If you're devious or tricky, you might be described as sneaky. Tiptoeing up behind your napping dad to scare him would be sneaky. You might watch your sneaky cat stalking an oblivious squirrel, or act sneaky yourself — slipping quietly into your brother's room to borrow his favorite sweater without asking first. Anytime you make sure not to be seen doing something, you're being sneaky. Sneaky most likely has roots in the Middle English sniken, "to creep or crawl."
Vocabulary lists containing sneaky
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.
A ball is a ball to within a fraction of an inch, no matter how enticing a sneaky catcher can make it look to a mere mortal.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
"But they said they just wanted to keep it quiet and make that sneaky move, and they made the best move of the draft so I'm excited."
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
That’s another problem with Mythos and other AI — they rarely do what we expect and find sneaky ways around rules.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
That's because her furniture, clothes and even members of her family all made sneaky appearances to prank her as part of Michael McIntyre's Big Show.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026
But Anastasia loves the sneaky little beast, who has long white fur that flows around her like she’s a little movie star.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
