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
  • An ambitious provocation, the book calls for a single-party system of government that ostensibly gives power back to the people (even if it’s been published by a shady corporation with its own interests in mind).
    Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Kue Lawrence delivers a chilling performance for the ages as Samuel Miller, a seventh-grade student recruited by a shady mentor (Michael Sean Tighe) to compete in the bloody contests.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 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
  • Cut to Culhane doing lame bits with chopsticks as walrus teeth.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Add in coach Steve Kerr willingly working on a lame-duck contract, and the Warriors could be looking for a new path forward within the year of saying hello to Butler, meaning that smell around Chase Center is one of desperation.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The clip then hints that the small town is anything but, with disappearances of children, creepy creatures and more lurking in its past and haunting the present.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.
    Real-Time News team, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 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
  • So sneaky that some play a deadly game of hide and seek.
    NPR, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The Irish have been sneaky good after halftime all season, even during those losses to Miami and Texas A&M.
    Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 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 7 Nov. 2025.

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