stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē 

stealthier; stealthiest

1

: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character

2

a

: intended to escape observation : furtive

b

: designed to produce a very weak radar return

a stealthy airplane

stealthily

ˈstel-thə-lē 

adverb

stealthiness

ˈstel-thē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• shady
• sneaky
• furtive
• sly

Choose the Right Synonym for stealthy

secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation.

secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Examples of stealthy in a Sentence

the stealthy movements of the crocodile

cats are among the stealthiest of stalkers

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the area looks like a deep-sea Barbie wonderland to human eyes, these creatures are actually clad in stealthy camouflage. —Ashley Balzer Vigil, Scientific American, 22 Aug. 2025

This stealthy switch to short-term debt puts a ceiling on long-term yields. —Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Dog owner Joseph Stuart, from South Jersey, shared the moment his dachshund, Sammy, pulled off a stealthy snack heist—at the expense of the dog owner's 2-year-old son, Carter. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025

Bull Guard Crossbody Leather Phone Purse This upscale leather crossbody will add a vibrant pop of color to your travel wardrobe while offering stealthy anti-theft features. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stealthy

• healthy
• wealthy
• unhealthy

Kids Definition

stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē 

stealthier; stealthiest

1

: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character

2

: intended to escape observation : furtive

stealthily

-thə-lē 

adverb