stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē How to pronounce stealthy (audio)
Definition of stealthynext
1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions cats are among the stealthiest of stalkers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others constantly harassed the enemy with stealthy raids

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stealthy distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of stealthy are clandestine, covert, furtive, secret, surreptitious, and underhanded. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

When is it sensible to use clandestine instead of stealthy?

The words clandestine and stealthy can be used in similar contexts, but clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

When might covert be a better fit than stealthy?

The meanings of covert and stealthy largely overlap; however, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

When could furtive be used to replace stealthy?

In some situations, the words furtive and stealthy are roughly equivalent. However, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

When can secret be used instead of stealthy?

Although the words secret and stealthy have much in common, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

When is surreptitious a more appropriate choice than stealthy?

The synonyms surreptitious and stealthy are sometimes interchangeable, but surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

When would underhanded be a good substitute for stealthy?

The words underhanded and stealthy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

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 stealthy In addition though, the use of cameras on stealthy motorbikes weaving in amongst the peloton have become a key source of live footage and provide exciting new images and perspectives. —Tim Genske, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025 Others make a stealthy entrance, taking us by surprise. —Tracy Scott Forson, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025 Porsche just made the all-electric Taycan stealthier. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 16 July 2025 Both factors may have added up to evolutionary pressure on ichthyosaurs, favoring stealthy swimming, says Lindgren. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for stealthy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stealthy
  1. shady
  2. clandestine
  3. sneaky
  4. furtive
  5. covert
  6. sly
  7. undercover
  8. underground
Adjective
  • The former Oakland Raiders linebacker was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shady military pal in Predator (1987) before landing his own macho action vehicle in Action Jackson (1988).
    — Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 25 July 2025
  • Visitors will find 2,000 miles of shady hiking trails, 3,000 ponds and lakes with water originating from cool mountain peaks, 30,000 miles of fresh and often chilly rivers and streams and millions of acres of sun-filtering forests.
    — Matt Alderton, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • Speaking with Robbie Fox on the My Mom's Basement podcast, the former WWE Champion shared the story of the clandestine meeting.
    — Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025
  • Even when targeting America’s enemies, not all are supportive of clandestine cyberattacks.
    — Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • Walmart’s got some sneaky good deals right now, and this one definitely caught our eye.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 July 2025
  • Keep an eye out for sneaky eaters tempted to pick off the topping to eat like candy. Directions Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.
    — Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Definition of sneaky
Adjective
  • Tom Cruise may shoot furtive glances at co-stars, punch of co-stars in the face and/or betray co-stars for the good of mankind.
    — Keith Sharon, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • Mounting fear within the Jewish and Conservative communities of New York is that Mamdani’s furtive stance of justice for Palestine and divestment from Israel is stoking the flame of more virulent Anti-Semitism to come.
    — Alexandra Bregman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Definition of furtive
Adjective
  • The bill would ban face coverings during public enforcement operations unless medically required or part of a covert investigation.
    — Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
  • The human touch is also crucial for ensuring accountability with agentic AI use, particularly for security considerations like accountability and distinguishing a genuine user from a covert threat.
    — Imran Aftab, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • But the screenplay by Yoni Brenner and Etan Cohen is generally much smarter than that, featuring a plethora of sly one-liners revolving more around characterizations than pop-culture references.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025
  • Mintz more than matches the acrobatic dancing of Donald O’Connor’s Cosmo in the movie but underplays the character’s goofiness and goes for a sly, self-respecting sassiness instead.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2025
Definition of sly
Adjective
  • At the beginning of the season, host Alan Cumming picks the Traitors that will pit the Faithful against each other by murdering them one by one while trying to remain undercover.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 22 July 2025
  • Ogles cited an undercover video obtained by conservative news website Townhall which appears to show a university employee discussing the school’s Office of Hope, Unity, and Belonging.
    — Ruben Montoya, The Tennessean, 19 July 2025
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • Once hidden in underground spaces, ballroom has grown accessible to broader audiences, creating a unique platform for both personal expression and social commentary.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 21 July 2025
  • His villa had a pool, a gym, appliances and a game room, and his underground bunker had a bed, a refrigerator and air conditioning, according to the feds.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
Definition of underground

Browse Nearby Words

stealthiness
stealthy
steam
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stealthy. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on stealthy

Nglish: Translation of stealthy for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
iykyk if you know you know slang written in a neon
Quiz: Abbreviation Station TFW you have to figure out what 15 abbreviations ...
See All