sneaky

adjective

ˈsnē-kē How to pronounce sneaky (audio)
sneakier; sneakiest
Synonyms of sneakynext
: marked by stealth, furtiveness, or shiftiness
a sneaky trick
sneakily
ˈsnē-kə-lē How to pronounce sneaky (audio)
adverb
sneakiness
ˈsnē-kē-nəs How to pronounce sneaky (audio)
noun

Synonyms of sneaky

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Examples of sneaky in a Sentence

They make it look like you're getting a lot more than you really are. It's a sneaky trick. It's a sneaky way of getting people to buy something they don't need.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even when the target insect does spot a dragonfly pursuer, these sneaky hunters use a trick called motion camouflage to make their pursuit less obvious. — Rachel Sargent Mirus, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 Pig-licker drove along beside me with a sneaky look in his eyes. — Literary Hub, 31 July 2026 So the magnolia is a generalist, and the orchids are very, very specialized, sometimes in cooperative ways with their pollinators, and sometimes in sneaky exploitative ways, like pretending to be a female wasp so male wasps try and mate with you. — Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 30 July 2026 Gu-cheon is arrogant, conspicuously misplaced in the palace hierarchy, and in some sneaky ways, dryly funny, in stark contrast to co-star Roh Yoon Seo’s more determined, earnest portrayal of court lady Saeng Gang. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sneaky

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sneaky was in 1833

Rhymes for sneaky

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Browse Nearby Words

sneak up on
sneaky
sneap
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Cite this Entry

“Sneaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sneaky. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sneaky

adjective
ˈsnē-kē How to pronounce sneaky (audio)
sneakier; sneakiest
1
: behaving in a sly or secret manner
2
: marked by secrecy or slyness
a sneaky trick
sneakily
-kə-lē How to pronounce sneaky (audio)
adverb
sneakiness
-kē-nəs How to pronounce sneaky (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sneaky

Nglish: Translation of sneaky for Spanish Speakers

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