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

Synonym Chooser

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
Plus, critters may sneak in and can stain, damage, or create holes in fabric. Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025 And some kids are even sneaking in game sessions during class. Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 Sep. 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
Check out the sneak peak for Resident Alien Season 4, Episode 10, below. Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 The family comedy — reuniting Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis 23 years after Freaky Friday opened — earned $3.1 million previews, including special sneaks on Wednesday. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sneak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneak
Verb
  • Players must navigate nightmarish mazes where monsters lurk at every turn.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The Triangle, one of many signature quirks of Fenway Park, lurks 420 feet from home plate.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Season 5 dives into the contrast between old and new New York, with secret billionaires, mobsters and mysterious residents infiltrating the building.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The top country hits have infiltrated pop culture and are played everywhere.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Bundy family’s statement noted this and said their destination was not clandestine, as the FBI document alleged.
    Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The result was the Commandos, who operated in clandestine raids behind the lines to harass the enemy with remarkable success.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Mule lands on the planet, and Indbur the weasel immediately kneels before the pirate, completely surrendering.
    Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Strategizing more long-term goals for your planting beds and lawns might be better for you than running outside with your garden weasel right now.
    Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The ball slipped through Mason’s hands, and what would have been a touchdown turned into a turnover on downs, effectively ending the 49ers’ comeback hopes.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
  • By the episode's end, however, he's set his sights on Morgan, having surreptitiously slipped a note into her grocery bag.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But Donaggio prefers to worm his way into your brain — and into the deepest pit of fears in your stomach.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Last month, hackers wormed their way into Tea and accessed sensitive user data; 70,000 user images and more than 1 million private messages reportedly were leaked, including communications about abortions, users’ driver’s-license photos, and phone numbers that had been shared in private messages.
    Albert Fox Cahn, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Woman of the Hour In her directorial debut, Anna Kendrick stars as aspiring actress Sheryl Bradshaw, who unknowingly crosses paths with a covert serial killer (Daniel Zovatto) while appearing on The Dating Game.
    Jacqueline Weiss, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
  • That provision allows a president to take covert actions as long as Congress is informed.
    Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Around 75% of Americans are exposed to raccoons, skunks and foxes — the very wildlife that commonly spread the fatal disease to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.
    Miriam Toews September 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sneak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneak. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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