surreptitiously

American  

[sur-uhp-tish-uhs-lee] / ˌsɜr əpˈtɪʃ əs li /

adverb

1. in a secret or unauthorized way; stealthily.

   After it surreptitiously installs itself on a user's phone, the spyware program can steal credit card numbers, passwords, and other personal information.

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Etymology

Origin of surreptitiously

First recorded in 1580–90; surreptitious ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Torak coughed and rubbed his throat, surreptitiously reaching for his knife.

From Literature

A handwritten note surreptitiously passed to me in the street; a meeting with a child; a walk through the city; a heart filled with the knowledge that I have helped to save another person’s life.

From Literature

“Modern hyper-convenience is a kind of deal with the devil. It is seductive because it appeals to our instincts, but it surreptitiously depletes us,” Curmi states.

From Salon

While most of its players are innocents, dubbed Faithfuls, Cumming surreptitiously chooses several to be Traitors.

From Salon

He plays surreptitiously recorded phone conversations between opposition leaders.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• covertly
• secretly
• stealthily