sneak 1 of 3

verb

ˈsnēk How to pronounce sneak (audio)
Definition of sneaknext
1
as in to lurk
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

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2
as in to infiltrate
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way sneak the topic into the conversation any way you can

Synonyms & Similar Words

sneak

2 of 3

adjective

as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others a sneak attack on the nation's capitol

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sneak

3 of 3

noun

as in weasel
someone who acts in a sly and secret manner "Why, you little sneak," the mother exclaimed, "you made my birthday present right under my nose!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sneak distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of sneak are lurk, skulk, and slink. While all these words mean "to behave so as to escape attention," sneak may add an implication of entering or leaving a place or evading a difficulty by furtive or underhanded methods.

sneaked out early

When could lurk be used to replace sneak?

The words lurk and sneak can be used in similar contexts, but lurk implies a lying in wait in a place of concealment and often suggests an evil intent.

suspicious men lurking in alleyways

When is skulk a more appropriate choice than sneak?

In some situations, the words skulk and sneak are roughly equivalent. However, skulk suggests more strongly cowardice or fear or sinister intent.

something skulking in the shadows

Where would slink be a reasonable alternative to sneak?

The meanings of slink and sneak largely overlap; however, slink implies moving stealthily often merely to escape attention.

slunk around the corner

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 sneak
Verb
High temps can cook the wine, low humidity can dry out the cork and let oxygen sneak in the bottle. —Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Feb. 2026 The first was an odd-angle shot that sneaked by Andrei Vasilevskiy. —Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 4 Feb. 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
Noun
When the Niners and ‘Hawks meet on Saturday, there will be no secrets, no new identities, no sneak attacks. —Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026 These shoes bring the comfort and versatility of your favorite sneaks, but with a distinctly polished, cool-girl edge. —Annie Blackman, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sneak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneak
  1. lurk
  2. infiltrate
  3. clandestine
  4. weasel
  5. slip
  6. worm
  7. covert
  8. skunk
Verb
  • But hey, this was the '90s, when being weird for weird's sake was a thing, and a creepy animatronic penguin lurking in the shadows and terrorizing humans in a variety of '90s-ish noir settings is definitely that.
    — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Expecting to find traces of the past in the old town of Regensburg, at first, archaeologists believed nothing that exciting lurked here.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • Intolerance had infiltrated the sport, and football decided to fight back.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Most cars that claimed the highest rankings are repeats from last year, with the exception of three new vehicles that managed to infiltrate the top 10.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of infiltrate
Adjective
  • Ortiz said Rodríguez Torres went further by overseeing the creation of clandestine detention facilities.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Yes, its signage and entryway are on the clandestine side.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Noun
  • The little animals that will come to be emblematic of the 2026 Games are stoats, extremely cute critters that in real life are related to the weasel and the otter.
    — Mark Scaglione, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The species is the largest member of the mustelid family, which includes otters, weasels and badgers, and is known for its ferocity and elusive nature.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of weasel
Verb
  • French wine and spirits exports have slipped from being traditionally France’s second-largest export sector to third, behind aerospace and cosmetics, as trade tensions intensified.
    — Reuters 9 hr ago, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Then, in the short track speedskating mixed team relay B final, Julie Letai suffered her own mishap, slipping and crashing into the padding.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of slip
Verb
  • Her strange presence in Georgia — where Gabbard reportedly arranged for FBI agents to make a post-raid call to the president — looks like nothing more than a way to worm her way back into his good graces.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Callahan spent much of season 4 trying to worm inside Kyle's head and lure him over to the Aryans in order to undercut Mike, but Kyle managed to resist his twisted siren song.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
Definition of worm
Adjective
  • This covert expansion of sports betting is controversial.
    — Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
  • The company says they can also be used for covert operations, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance operations.
    — Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of covert
Noun
  • But toads and frogs are also prey animals for owls, hawks, skunks, opossums, and raccoons.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
  • At night, the desert comes alive with coyote howls, prowling skunks and the possibility of larger cats or black bears nearby.
    — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of skunk

Browse Nearby Words

snazzy
sneak
sneaked
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Cite this Entry

“Sneak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneak. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sneak

Nglish: Translation of sneak for Spanish Speakers

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