1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
a furtive guy who always seems to be up to something, and usually that something is no-good
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
gave each other furtive glances as we watched our friend open the booby-trapped soda
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of furtive
Over the past decade, furtive commercial entities around the world have industrialized the production, sale, and dissemination of bogus scholarly research.
—
Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2025
Over the past decade, furtive commercial entities around the world have industrialized the production, sale and dissemination of bogus scholarly research.
—Cyril Labbé, The Conversation, 31 Jan. 2025
At home, the atmosphere was decorous, curious, gentle; outside, the culture of the nineteen-fifties was tougher, valorizing war and papering over a darker, more furtive kind of violence.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
That weekend, at the grocery store, Eliza hovered near the cosmetics wall and, almost without looking, tossed in mascara, concealer, lip gloss, and sped to the checkout, feeling furtive.
—Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for furtive
Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2025
Over the past decade, furtive commercial entities around the world have industrialized the production, sale and dissemination of bogus scholarly research.
—Cyril Labbé, The Conversation, 31 Jan. 2025
At home, the atmosphere was decorous, curious, gentle; outside, the culture of the nineteen-fifties was tougher, valorizing war and papering over a darker, more furtive kind of violence.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
That weekend, at the grocery store, Eliza hovered near the cosmetics wall and, almost without looking, tossed in mascara, concealer, lip gloss, and sped to the checkout, feeling furtive.
—Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for furtive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furtive
Adjective
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To his supporters, Trump is taking justifiable action over past shady behavior.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Ranchers left these small groups of trees to give their cattle shady spots to rest but cleared out much of the land to create pastures.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The illicitly mined resources, which included valuable minerals and precious stones, were smuggled out of the country through clandestine networks, bypassing official regulatory controls for the benefit of consortium members at the expense of the state coffers.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
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For those hoping to wed immediately, whether to avoid family scrutiny or cover up an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, clandestine marriages performed by Anglican clergy offered a welcome alternative.—
Alexandra Cox,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Saxon looks stunned, but his younger bro wears a sly smile.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2025
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Nicholson's portrayal of a rebellious mental hospital inmate is a phenomenal combination of sly intelligence and impish braggadocio, best showcased during the scene where, thwarted in his attempt to watch the World Series on TV, McMurphy ad libs a commentary in front of a blank set.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Keep clutter to a minimum, especially in a small bedroom, by incorporating stealthy storage.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2025
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Japan, outfoxed by the stealthy maneuverer in the White House, had to recede.—
Robert W. Merry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Despite numerous warnings, Cuomo ignored engineers’ concerns, went ahead with construction, and attempted to cover it up by secretly replacing the defective bolts in a covert night operation akin to military action.—
Ryan Silverstein,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
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Even a covert leader can inadvertently alter employee behavior, resulting in a skewed view of daily operations.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Vikings added on the interior of the offensive line (Kelly) and prioritized a sneaky signing (Rodgers).—
Alec Lewis,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
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The best part of furniture pieces that feature sneaky storage is the ability to get double the use out of just one item.—
Rachel Trujillo,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Watch Captain America: Civil War on Disney+ Black Widow After the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha is on the run and reunites with Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), her undercover younger sister who also trained in the Red Room.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
People.com,
8 Mar. 2025
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The vast majority of undercover U.S. intelligence officers work out of embassies and consulates, posing as diplomats, and the closure of diplomatic posts would reduce the CIA's options for where to position its spies.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Houston was simply without an answer for the electric, shifty guard who punished each and every defender that was put in his crosshairs.—
Kelly Iko,
The Athletic,
18 Mar. 2025
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Rocking a New Jersey accent as Joyce’s friend Cynthia, Moore gives a shifty performance that’s key to the success of this twisty non-linear mystery.—
Katie Rife,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to furtive
Cite this Entry
“Furtive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furtive. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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