sneaks; sneaked or chiefly US snuck
ˈsnʌk 
; sneaking
; sneaking
1
always followed by an adverb or preposition
: to move quietly and secretly in order to avoid being noticed
They tried to sneak into the movie without paying.
As a teenager she would sneak out (of her house/apartment) at night to visit her boyfriend.
He sneaked [=crept] past the guard.
2
: to take or bring (something) secretly and often quickly
She sneaked some cigars through customs.
He snuck a few cookies out of the jar while his mother wasn't looking.
They caught him trying to sneak food into the theater.
I sneaked a note to my friend in class. = I sneaked my friend a note in class.
I'm going to sneak a smoke. [=I'm going to smoke a cigarette while nobody is watching]
I was caught sneaking a look [=secretly looking] at my Christmas presents.
Can I sneak a peek at your quiz answers?
3
British, old-fashioned
: to tell someone (such as a parent or teacher) about something wrong that someone else has done
I got in trouble after she sneaked [=squealed, (chiefly US) tattled] on me.
plural sneaks
1
US, informal
: a person who acts in a secret and usually dishonest way
What a rotten sneak! I should have known not to trust her.
2
British, old-fashioned
: tattletale
3
American football
: quarterback sneak
He ran a sneak up the middle for a touchdown.
always used before a noun
: done while others are not paying attention
a sneak [=surprise] attack
She took a sneak peek [=a secret look] at the birthday presents hidden in the closet.
Cite this Entry
“Sneak.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/sneak. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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