1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
a furtive guy who always seems to be up to something, and usually that something is no-good
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
gave each other furtive glances as we watched our friend open the booby-trapped soda
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of furtive
At the cottage, our protagonists replace the furtive glances and locker-room tension from earlier episodes with quiet intimacy and words of affirmation.
—
Chris Dong, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025
In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Then there was a furtive crunch, crunch, crunch of footsteps.
—Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025
After an unintended encounter with a furtive woman (Gitte Witt) in cabin 10, the one next to Lo’s, the reporter hears a violent scuffle through the walls, followed by a splash.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for furtive
Chris Dong, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025
In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Then there was a furtive crunch, crunch, crunch of footsteps.
—Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025
After an unintended encounter with a furtive woman (Gitte Witt) in cabin 10, the one next to Lo’s, the reporter hears a violent scuffle through the walls, followed by a splash.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for furtive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furtive
Adjective
-
In addition to serving as a showrunner, Levy stars as Nicky, an openly gay pastor who gets wrapped up in a shady underworld plot with his flailing sister Morgan (Taylor Ortega).—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Apr. 2026
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They get captured by Hungarian gangsters and have to fight (and kill) their way out of an inn run by a shady former dance prodigy (Uma Thurman).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Emergency passports handed off at clandestine locations.—
Shannon K. Kingston,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Jerkins’ family operation included his cousin, Robert Smith, known as Big Bert, with whom Brandy began a clandestine relationship as the recording progressed.—
Jackson Howard,
Pitchfork,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Boston and director Weronika Tofilska (who helmed the premiere episode, among others) draw out the gruesome undertones of familiar nuptial tropes with a sly and twisted sense of humor.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
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The feud made its way into Lamar's halftime show set with numerous sly references to Drake, including guest appearances from the rapper's exes SZA and Serena Williams.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song And the internet has receipts.—
Mehera Bonner,
Marie Claire,
15 Mar. 2017
Adjective
-
The pivot to stealthy seafood comes at a critical time for the industry.—
J.m. Hirsch,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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By extending its range and enabling it to detect targets without emitting radar signals, the upgrades would allow the aircraft to remain stealthy for longer while maintaining its edge in long-range air combat.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Her covert affair with Davis became big news when a Chicago gossip columnist wrote a detailed account of their relationship in early 1958, including their plans to wed, despite their denials.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2026
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While Iran is not known to have any interests in Uganda, it has been accused of covert operations in neighboring Kenya and Tanzania, including the running of smuggling networks and making controversial diplomatic and economic outreach with questionable motives throughout the region.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Faith Hill on why Gen Z is the sneaky-saver generation.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
30 Mar. 2026
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Try rye flour, a sneaky way to add complex flavors, a tender crumb and a little nutrition, especially in sweet baked goods.—
Kara Elder,
Washington Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of the ammunition was purchased from co-conspirators by undercover officers, prosecutors said.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
31 Mar. 2026
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Working with a different undercover officer, this time in a European city, Chalker successfully extracted Bernadine to America.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Furtive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furtive. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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