SNEAKY Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

sneaky

adjective

ˈsnē-kē

Definition of sneaky

as in shady

given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions his opponent's sneaky campaign manager was clearly up to something

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sneak

undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others a sneaky plan to replace the priceless painting with a copy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sneaky Johnson says that utilizing the back of a door is a sneaky way to maximize your cabinet’s potential. — Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026 From critical infrastructure exploits to sneaky post-quantum attacks, the security landscape is shifting fast. — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for sneaky

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaky

Adjective

While this feature never got implemented, a Phia spokesperson told Bloomberg, Kianni was in support of the cookie stuffing practices, and encouraged team members to implement shady practices.

— Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
Santa Margarita River Trail Looking for a shady spring or summertime hike?

— Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of shady

Adjective

The clandestine transits have changed the game for the Middle Eastern oil industry.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
That same teen sensation left West Africa due to troubles from its dictatorship, and moved to Paris under cover of night and a clandestine air flight.

— A.D. Amorosi, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of clandestine

Adjective

But it was filled with quicksilver, roller-coaster displays of virtuosity and the sly humor Lutoslawski and fellow Polish composer and pianist Andrzej Panufnik brought to their Paganini variations in its original 1941 iteration.

— George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
The Professional is a sly inversion of — and indulgent celebration of — action cliches, made at a time when action movies were ubiquitous but often redundant, featuring a succession of distinctly European stars like Schwarzenegger and Van Damme.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of sly

Adjective

By mid-July, an undercover FBI informant posing as an ISIS facilitator was messaging with her.

— Lila Dominus, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
An undercover officer posing as a UPS driver saw Vargas, 35, outside the building where the packages were being shipped, prosecutors said.

— Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of undercover

Adjective

And while Ukraine has begun to resolve navigational issues with its missiles, such as the Flamingo, those weapons are still not as accurate — or as stealthy — as their Western analogues.

— Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Three colorways have been revealed, including one with a stealthy reverse LCD.

— Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of stealthy

Adjective

Bannerman centers on the eponymous Paul Bannerman, a lethal covert operative who convinces a group of the world’s most deadly assassins to quit the spy game for a chance to lead normal lives in the suburbs of Connecticut.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
In Asia, there is no present analog to the major shocks of the 1970s, which drove Seoul and Taipei to pursue covert nuclear programs.

— Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of covert

Adjective

In July 2025, utility workers excavating trenches to expand an underground gas network in Peru's capital unearthed two pre-Incan tombs that were over 1,000 years old.

— CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
These underground excursions are a park favorite, so make your reservations early.

— Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of underground

Adjective

Contributor Yelena Alpert has a sneaking suspicion that these Frette slippers will last a lifetime, attributing her hypothesis to the shoe’s superior quality.

— Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
The package includes free breakfast for your plus-one (no more sneaking snacks away from the conference), a signature drink each night (perfect for unwinding after your workday ends), and 1,000 bonus IHG One Rewards points.

— Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025

Definition of sneaking

Browse Nearby Words

sneak up

sneaky

sneer

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Cite this Entry

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“Sneaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneaky. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sneaky

adjective

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