Synonyms

sneaky

American

[snee-kee] / ˈsni ki /

adjective

sneakier, sneakiest

like or suggestive of a sneak; furtive; deceitful.

Other Word Forms

sneakily adverb
sneakiness noun
unsneaky adjective

Etymology

Origin of sneaky

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

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."

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Vocabulary lists containing sneaky

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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.

A strong undercurrent of that lively book is that it’s good to be unreadable and sneaky: “I play it very loose.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

The following year it was sneaky Canadian Shania Twain and a sus character from England referred to only as Sting.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

"Very sneaky, it's not fair on the small businesses," she added.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026

Rafalat needed to hack the system—to find some sneaky way to turn rubles into dollars.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

Some bare sharp fangs, others have sneaky grins.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023