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Synonyms

surreptitious

American  
[sur-uhp-tish-uhs] / ˌsɜr əpˈtɪʃ əs /

adjective

  1. obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine.

    a surreptitious glance.

  2. acting in a stealthy way.

  3. obtained by subreption; subreptitious.

surreptitious British  
/ ˌsʌrəpˈtɪʃəs /

adjective

  1. done, acquired, etc, in secret or by improper means

  2. operating by stealth

  3. characterized by fraud or misrepresentation of the truth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • surreptitiously adverb
  • surreptitiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of surreptitious

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin surreptīcius “stolen, clandestine,” equivalent to surrept(us), past participle of surripere “to steal,” ( sur- sur- 2 + rep-, combining form of rapere “to snatch, plunder” ( rape 1 ) + -tus past participle suffix) + -īcius adjective suffix ( -itious )

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.

Paramount’s brass hired the Gibson Dunn law firm to investigate Shell’s surreptitious dealings with Cipriani.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Just before 7 a.m., a Benin intelligence operative took surreptitious video of five rebel armored vehicles and four pickups leaving QRF headquarters, hazard lights flashing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

A surreptitious change of bank details does not bode well for your mother’s estate planning.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

In a written statement, she claimed "The Mail's Unlawful Acts against me involve landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows."

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

Generalized rustling and surreptitious glances from my brothers indicated that they knew something was afoot.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

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.