stealthy

[stel-thee]

adjective

stealthier, stealthiest 

1. done, characterized, or acting by stealth; furtive.

   stealthy footsteps.

ˈstealthy

/ ˈstɛlθɪ /

adjective

1. characterized by great caution, secrecy, etc; furtive

Other Word Forms

• stealthily adverb
• stealthiness noun
• unstealthiness noun
• unstealthy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stealthy¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; stealth + -y ¹

Example Sentences

He’s stealthy, awkward around others and profoundly unaware of his beauty and power.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite my best efforts, grief crept in, unexpected and stealthy with its delayed arrival.

From Los Angeles Times

At one point, the president used the word “stealth” when discussing U.S. military planes, then turned around and remarked, “You guys want to be stealthy tonight. You can be stealthy — you’ll never lose, right?”

From Los Angeles Times

“The indirect nature of the spending, the fact that it’s flowing through universities and private companies in way that is kind of stealthy and hidden.”

From Los Angeles Times

His off-kilter demeanor looks especially dangerous in scenes he shares with Strong or May, whose Empress is stealthier than the strutting warrior she showcased in “The Witcher.”

From Salon

Related Words

• crafty