stealthily

American  

[stel-thi-lee] / ˈstɛl θɪ li /

adverb

1. in a way that is secret and quietly careful; furtively or surreptitiously.

   Three shadowed figures could be seen creeping stealthily from the boathouse.

   Orange and black stripes flashed through the trees as the tiger stealthily approached some spotted deer.

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Other Word Forms

• unstealthily adverb

Etymology

Origin of stealthily

stealthy ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

If you move stealthily, you do not want to be seen or felt. A cat moves stealthily when it approaches a mouse. Stealthily is the adverb form of stealth: Think stealth bomber, that miraculous, if flawed, creation of the American military that was supposed to escape detection, including being nearly invisible on radar. We often think of hunters as moving stealthily. They sneak up on their prey, soundlessly. Originally, the word implied that you were looking to rob or steal something, which makes sense: this term is all about being secretive and undetected. Clumsy people have trouble doing things stealthily.

Example Sentences

Some coding tools, including Cursor, were initially blocked and employees were using them stealthily.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Evidence at trial showed that NSO Group reverse-engineered WhatsApp code to stealthily install spyware targeting users, according to the ruling.

From Barron's • Oct. 18, 2025

These five places in California’s wilderness are jaw-droppingly beautiful but stealthily treacherous, taking the lives of explorers and rescuers alike.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2025

Every month, you stealthily realize you’re in the process of losing more and more.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2024

Coal dropped to the ground as stealthily as he could and looked up as Isadora followed him down.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste