sneakier; sneakiest
: marked by stealth, furtiveness, or shiftiness
a sneaky trick
sneakily adverb
sneakiness noun

Example Sentences

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 In this quaint nook, sneaky storage resides under the daybed. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 18 May 2023 Here's another sneaky way to serve something a little more meal-ish along with all the snacks. Christopher Michel, Country Living, 11 May 2023 With slots for your ID and credit cards and even a sneaky little elastic loop for your lip balm, the Mara phone sling by Dagne Dover seems like the perfect accessory to get you through airport security without having to rummage through endless snacks in your larger travel bag. Esther Carlstone, Travel + Leisure, 5 May 2023 Cody Rhodes mentioned his old coach Double A as another sneaky AEW reference in a WWE ring. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 5 May 2023 The all-white number featured a chunky silver chain detail around the plunging neckline, as well as around a sneaky cutout at her hip. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 1 May 2023 Check out the sneaky signs of low testosterone here. Melissa Matthews, Men's Health, 28 Apr. 2023 Not Mildred Pierce or Leave Her to Heaven or Scarlett O’Hara, where the women are hardly pastel, rarely quiet except when planning something sneaky and mean, and might be crazy, but Now, Voyager or To Each His Own, in which women contemplate convention and how to navigate it. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 20 Apr. 2023 Fortunately, the scientists have a sneaky plan to lure them in. Tim Lydon, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sneaky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sneaky was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near sneaky

Cite this Entry

“Sneaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sneaky. Accessed 28 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

sneaky

adjective
sneakier; sneakiest
1
: behaving in a sly or secret manner
2
: marked by secrecy or slyness
a sneaky trick
sneakily adverb
sneakiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sneaky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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