sneak 1 of 3

1
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner the little kids sneak around upstairs when they're supposed to be in bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to infiltrate
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way sneak the topic into the conversation any way you can

Synonyms & Similar Words

sneak

2 of 3

adjective

sneak

3 of 3

noun

as in weasel
someone who acts in a sly and secret manner "Why, you little sneak," the mother exclaimed, "you made my birthday present right under my nose!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word sneak distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of sneak are lurk, skulk, and slink. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

When could lurk be used to replace sneak?

The words lurk and sneak can be used in similar contexts, but lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

When is skulk a more appropriate choice than sneak?

In some situations, the words skulk and sneak are roughly equivalent. However, skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

Where would slink be a reasonable alternative to sneak?

The meanings of slink and sneak largely overlap; however, slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sneak
Verb
This time, though, he’s being fired, which he’s told by a supervisor who sneaks up and screams, disrupting this environment that’s been relatively tranquil during its prior appearances. Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 15 May 2025 New Orleans is coming off a 5-12 season, and with the recent surprise retirement of quarterback Derek Carr, the team might need an easier schedule to sneak into the playoffs this year. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2025
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
Noun
Starbucks' will be unveiling its full summer menu in May, but this week offered USA TODAY a sneak peak of some items that will be included. Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025 After an expectedly awkward exchange between Nick and Luke – and Nick and Moira, who's meeting him for the first time – the four sneak outside and make for the park's exit. EW.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sneak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneak
Verb
  • Mars will appear in the constellation Cancer in the western sky, while Jupiter will lurk close to the horizon, setting just a few hours after the sun.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 May 2025
  • Probably not as many as are lurking on your medicine cabinet shelves.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Monkey Man told of a man who infiltrates a night club in order to exact vengeance on the man who killed his mother years earlier.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 May 2025
  • Under Trump’s direction, Musk’s workers had already infiltrated much of the federal government in a lightning operation designed to overwhelm.
    Michael Wilner, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Gestapo, Hitler’s secret police, combed the Poles’ ranks in search of men with experience in clandestine resistance organizations.
    Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 May 2025
  • Alongside the harbour in Lerwick are five fishing boats, once part of the clandestine Anglo-Norwegian Shetland Bus mission, and the wartime cargo ship Hestmanden.
    Heather Farmbrough, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • Deal or No Deal Island star Seychelle Cordero missed vaping and drinking Dr. Will repeatedly referred to you as a weasel.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Here on Earth Prime, nine years after a weasel met a particle accelerator and everything started to get weird, the GTI shines as almost the perfect blend of performance and everyday practicality while keeping the footprint small and the sticker price affordable.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The team has just one win during the past seven games, has given up 20 goals during that spell and slipped to sixth place in the Eastern Conference heading into a road game Saturday against the first-place Philadelphia Union.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
  • Shares of Lockheed have slipped nearly 3% so far in 2025.
    Brian Evans, CNBC, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • The pair share a complicated relationship from the early episodes of Season 1, where Sauron, disguised as a helpless traveler, wormed his way into her heart and good graces.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 8 May 2025
  • This process has been a bit of a slog, with Google's models improving slowly while simultaneously worming their way into many beloved products.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That includes Tom Cruise, as covert CIA division agent Ethan Hunt, riding a motorcycle off a 4,000-foot cliff and BASE jumping the final 500 feet of a ravine, or the breathless climactic train mayhem in 2023’s Dead Reckoning, the opening installment of this two-parter.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
  • In an opinion piece published by the Venezuelan independent newspaper La Razón, former lawmaker Omar González Moreno recounted the covert mission that freed him and four others without a single shot being fired.
    Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 7 May 2025
  • While pesticides sprayed on crops and the Varroa mite both pose major risks for honey bees, bears and skunks can also be destructive predators to colonies, according to Hesbach.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sneak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneak. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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