1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
never let one of those sneaking salespeople into your house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sneak
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
harbored a sneaking admiration for his chief business rival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
a sneaking two-timer who has completely lost his wife's trust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of sneaking
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025
Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county’s election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.
—Colleen Slevin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county’s election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the men reconciled and Parr became a Magnum man, sneaking in with just enough votes.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2026
Svetlana Dali, right, after sneaking onto a United Airlines flight.
—Jay Blackman, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
And Villanova hasn’t lost since its trip to Hartford, narrowly sneaking past Xavier in overtime to win its sixth in a row on Tuesday.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
These irresistible, creamy purée treats are perfect for picky eaters, bonding moments and sneaking in hydration—cats can’t get enough of them.
—Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Their parties became notorious even in my own cliques; my parents knew to expect at least a few dozen teenagers crashing their party, sucking down all the noodles, and sneaking beers in the canyon down below.
—Natasha Pickowicz, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2026
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
Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county's election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county’s election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.
—Colleen Slevin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Peters was convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to copy images of her county’s election computer system before and after state officials updated it in 2021.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Eventually, the men reconciled and Parr became a Magnum man, sneaking in with just enough votes.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2026
Svetlana Dali, right, after sneaking onto a United Airlines flight.
—Jay Blackman, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
And Villanova hasn’t lost since its trip to Hartford, narrowly sneaking past Xavier in overtime to win its sixth in a row on Tuesday.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
These irresistible, creamy purée treats are perfect for picky eaters, bonding moments and sneaking in hydration—cats can’t get enough of them.
—Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Their parties became notorious even in my own cliques; my parents knew to expect at least a few dozen teenagers crashing their party, sucking down all the noodles, and sneaking beers in the canyon down below.
—Natasha Pickowicz, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaking
Adjective
-
In the couple days since the Internet began to heckle McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski for his less-than-convincing endorsement of the new Big Arch burger and then Burger King's sassy (shady) response, Wendy's has stepped up to the plate.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
-
From the shady alpine lakes perched above Tahoe to the winding Truckee River that flows through the heart of Reno, water is a defining feature of the region.—
Ted Alvarez,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
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
-
Saying the house is like a character too sounds a bit lame.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
That huge war chest would be especially remarkable amassed by a lame-duck president.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Funk says heavy pruning of roses should also be avoided as cutting too early can encourage new growth to sprout at a time when damaging frosts could still be lurking in the forecast.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
-
While sunbathing at the property, Kate didn’t know that about a mile away, a paparazzo was lurking in the shadows, capturing the private moment with a long-range lens camera.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The development comes after long-standing fears about Chinese agents infiltrating London’s political circle.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Security footage showed that Alexander Friedmann had been infiltrating the building for months.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a chance to be a very sneaky rotation with a lot of skill.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Hunter Henry is 31 years old, and Austin Hooper is a free agent, so tight end is a sneaky need for the Patriots in the draft.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Domestic law enforcement remains particularly vigilant for Iranian sleeper cells, lone actors and clandestine operatives living in our cities and towns under the radar.—
Rick Pozniak,
Boston Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
-
In the last year, Mexican troops have been deployed across the country to quell narco-violence, arresting legions of cartel operatives, seizing tons of illicit drugs and busting hundreds of clandestine laboratories.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One solution is to wash dirty clothes right away, but this isn't always possible.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
-
On top of that, the restaurant has rotating soft serve, sauce and dirty soda flavors.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sneaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneaking. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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