sneaky

adjective

ˈsnē-kē 

sneakier; sneakiest

: marked by stealth, furtiveness, or shiftiness

a sneaky trick

sneakily

ˈsnē-kə-lē 

adverb

sneakiness

ˈsnē-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of sneaky

• shady
• sly
• stealthy

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

The Trasks encounter a wide swath of citizens, haggling with sneaky cheats, exploiting innocent fools, and befriending big-hearted neighbors. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026

Finding those sneaky lineup plays could make all the difference. — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026

Writing a sneaky Trojan that can steal passwords and other sensitive information while dodging detection by security programs is tough. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

The Beast in Me now joins a celebrated cohort of series with this same sneaky nonsense buried in their glowing track records, including Downton Abbey, Big Little Lies, and The White Lotus. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sneaky

• cheeky
• creaky
• freaky
• kiki
• leaky
• squeaky
• streaky

Kids Definition

sneaky

adjective

ˈsnē-kē 

sneakier; sneakiest

1

: behaving in a sly or secret manner

2

: marked by secrecy or slyness

a sneaky trick

sneakily

-kə-lē 

adverb

sneakiness

-kē-nəs 

noun