sneaking 1 of 2

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sneaking

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verb

present participle of sneak
1
as in lurking
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sneaking
Adjective
The package includes free breakfast for your plus-one (no more sneaking snacks away from the conference), a signature drink each night (perfect for unwinding after your workday ends), and 1,000 bonus IHG One Rewards points. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
Berens brings his particular brand of Midwest nice to his latest hour (watch the trailer above), full of stories about growing up one of 12 children, sneaking a beer into church, gambling with his grandmother, and Midwest Cheap Hacks. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025 In this song, the kids catch Mom and Dad sneaking snacks in the kitchen after bedtime. Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 31 Oct. 2025 As for oats, consider sneaking in some extra protein to round out their nutritional profile. Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 30 Oct. 2025 Others showed the couple mingling with their guests and sneaking a few kisses. Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025 Here is Carreras profiting from that exact ploy while playing for Benfica against Barcelona in the Champions League last season, sneaking forward on the far side before receiving the switch and hammering a low cross into striker Vangelis Pavlidis to score. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Eileen’s determination to face down the boys and be accepted for her full self or Hedda sneaking around and steering everyone’s fates behind the scenes? Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025 Finally, Aleah and Tom end up at the house, slowly sneaking around and trying to maintain the upper hand in a dazzling shoot-out. Grace Byron, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025 But the main action involved Norman Reedus’ Daryl sneaking into El Alcazar and killing pretty much everyone there of any villainous importance, while also freeing Roberto’s girlfriend Justina (Candela Saitta). Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaking
Adjective
  • Place your propane tank in a mostly shady location a few feet from your house.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Next comes the fun of trying to reform the civil service with shady Blaine fighting them at every turn.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 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
Adjective
  • The flowers are the best, even if the leaves are lame and flop over.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Cut to Culhane doing lame bits with chopsticks as walrus teeth.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Their debut album, Forever, sounds like temporarily regressing to your childhood self while tripping—a kind of gleaming innocence desperately fending off the darkness of adulthood lurking at the periphery.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The Longhorns, Sooners, Miami and USC are among some of the higher-profile teams lurking on the fringe of the bracket, while schools such as Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt and Utah could still find a way to crash the party.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Tea is approached by PET and tasked with infiltrating the criminal empire of Miran, a ruthless criminal posing as a businessman.
    Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Billitier did have a hell of a story to tell about his decades of undercover work for the FBI, including several years infiltrating a Colombian drug ring in Texas.
    Steve Belanger, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Baltimore Ravens just pulled off a sneaky-good trade, as the team has acquired defensive end Dre'Mont Jones from the Tennessee Titans for a conditional fifth-round pick.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
  • J’ville’s defense is sneaky solid and second in league in takeaways, and Vegas QB Geno Smith makes more turnovers than a bakery.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The 16-month plot to bribe Maduro’s chief pilot illustrates how Washington pairs clandestine operations with military power to destabilize the regime while projecting strategic pressure in the region.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
  • In exchange, the agent told the pilot in a clandestine meeting, the aviator would be made a very rich man.
    Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The clinic was dirtier than any of the animal hospitals that Strickland had worked in, with swarms of cockroaches hiding between the metal cages.
    Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Also, dual water tanks ensure the robot vacuum is not recirculating dirty water on my hard floors.
    Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sneaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneaking. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

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