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
And some kids are even sneaking in game sessions during class. Annabelle Canela, Parents, 5 Sep. 2025 As with music, doing that work and sneaking in so much sound is all about the beats and the pitch. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025 One of the film’s best sequences features the two teens sneaking out of school, stealing denim skirts and going to a video club with private viewing booths. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025 Check these tasks off your fall to-do list to prevent unwanted critters from sneaking inside. Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025 The week his Tiny Desk set hit YouTube, the song was milling around outside the top 10 of Adult R&B Airplay, missing in action on Rhythmic and just sneaking into the top 30 of Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 4 Sep. 2025 On the wing of the plane, Bond lands a one-liner before engaging in multiple fistfights, all controlled by the player, before sneaking inside. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025 Stealth gameplay mechanics have been a cornerstone of video games and some titles have implemented their own unique takes on sneaking around bad guys. George Yang, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025 Parents sneaking in a third cup before school pickup. Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaking
Adjective
  • Maybe not something drastic like a world war, slavery or the Holocaust, but there’s always shady s–t going on.
    Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Meursault also starts hanging out with his shady and brutish French neighbor, Raymond (Pierre Lottin), whose abusive relationship with an Algerian girl (Hajar Bouzaouit) eventually leads to the murder.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 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
Adjective
  • Shootouts are lame in comparison.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • On the other hand, Powell probably has little incentive to commit firmly given high lame-duck status and the fact that more employment and inflation numbers will hit before the September meeting.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Folklore portrays them as menacing figures lurking in the darkness who can possess those who wander too far from home.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Prices start at just $8 in the Halloween Shop, and witches and ghosts aren’t the only things lurking in there.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Taliban was and still is adept at infiltrating aid organizations and diverting aid to fill their coffers.
    Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • OneTaste opened its doors in San Francisco in the early two-thousands, as wellness culture was infiltrating the mainstream.
    Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This meant that select watch faces, like Reflections, could update every second even in standby, meaning a sneaky glance down at your wrist during a dull meeting could tell you the time with to-the-second precision.
    David Phelan, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • If the Falcons can’t stop Baker Mayfield and play aggressively to keep pace, Penix could be sneaky.
    Jake Ciely, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The position of chief judge, currently held by Timothy Evans, will instead be determined by an election held behind closed doors during a clandestine voting process in which fellow judges cast their secret ballots.
    Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Journaling, secret crushes and clandestine affairs take precedence.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Natural gas fulfills much of this need, while coal is dirtier, expensive, and increasingly irrelevant for electricity production.
    Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Although the space station is without dirt and mud, astronauts’ clothes get dirty from sweat during their daily exercise.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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