1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
his opponent's sneaky campaign manager was clearly up to something
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sneak
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
a sneaky plan to replace the priceless painting with a copy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sneaky
Soon, more of these sneaky clickers are circling, so Ellie makes Dina go and hide.
—
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 11 May 2025
The line that the AI isn’t forming a personal opinion is a kind of sneaky subterfuge.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
This one had a sneaky flavor booster—Dijon mustard.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 6 May 2025
From dust and hair to greasy buildup and the occasional stain, fabric headboards can be a sneaky source of stale smells and dinginess.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sneaky
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 11 May 2025
The line that the AI isn’t forming a personal opinion is a kind of sneaky subterfuge.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
This one had a sneaky flavor booster—Dijon mustard.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 6 May 2025
From dust and hair to greasy buildup and the occasional stain, fabric headboards can be a sneaky source of stale smells and dinginess.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sneaky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaky
Adjective
-
Patti LuPone had a shady reaction to questions about Audra McDonald in a new interview.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
-
John Frankenheimer’s gritty heist flick is packed with shifting loyalties, shady motives and not one, but two, figure-skating set pieces.—
Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo,
Footwear News,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
Based on the memoir of a real doctor, the stories and tribulations feel achingly real, and Whishaw's sly smile and tongue-in-cheek delivery keeps the depressing stories from becoming too morose.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
-
Meanwhile, Adebayo has continued to support Wilson with sly social media posts.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Tired of using bulky night vision goggles for your clandestine nocturnal activities?—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2025
-
The fiery combination of Mars trine Venus sparks things up in your clandestine 12th house of secrets and eighth house of intimate affairs.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Another key difference is how stealthy the malware is.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2025
-
These devices must be hardened against attackers seeking stealthy persistence.—
Yuriy Bulygin,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
Over the course of the investigation, Salinas Valencia sold the undercover officer several firearms, including two machineguns, as well as fentanyl pills and cocaine.—
Brian Bell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2025
-
Officer 18 was a standout among undercover officers, doubling his or her regular pay all three years.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Striking Iran’s nuclear program would likely set off a much larger conflict in which Israel and the United States hunt for covert Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran retaliates in the Middle East and beyond.—
Richard Nephew,
Foreign Affairs,
26 May 2025
-
Mon Mothma's speech Mon Mothma's covert support of the Rebels becomes public following the devastating events of the Ghorman Massacre.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
The second phase of redevelopment is expected to double the size of the Stockyards, adding three hotels, 300,000 square feet of commercial space, at least 295 units of multifamily housing and two underground parking garages.—
Kate Marijolovic,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 May 2025
-
Weather permitting, chefs prepare cochinita pibil, perhaps the most iconic dish of the region, in an underground pit directly on the beach.—
Claudia Alarcón,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sneaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneaky. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share