Definition of surreptitiousnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word surreptitious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of surreptitious are clandestine, covert, furtive, secret, stealthy, and underhanded. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," 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 clandestine be a good substitute for surreptitious?

The synonyms clandestine and surreptitious are sometimes interchangeable, 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

In what contexts can covert take the place of surreptitious?

While the synonyms covert and surreptitious are close in meaning, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

When might furtive be a better fit than surreptitious?

While in some cases nearly identical to surreptitious, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

Where would secret be a reasonable alternative to surreptitious?

The meanings of secret and surreptitious largely overlap; however, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

When could stealthy be used to replace surreptitious?

The words stealthy and surreptitious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

When is underhanded a more appropriate choice than surreptitious?

The words underhanded and surreptitious can be used in similar contexts, but 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 surreptitious Over the following 12 days, investigators determined that Lulinski had used his cell phone on multiple occasions to take inappropriate and surreptitious photos or videos of minors during normal school activities. Cbs Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026 Remember, this is Augusta National, where the surreptitious use of a cellphone is grounds for immediate banishment. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2026 Confronted with larger workloads and a shrinking headcount, AI — both the kind officially approved by companies and more surreptitious uses — has made its way via support staff into essential Hollywood workflows, including the creative development process. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026 Welcome to the era of surreptitious seafood, an industry gamble that overcoming Americans’ relative disinterest in the meat of the sea is all a matter of making fish look and taste less like, well, fish. J.m. Hirsch, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for surreptitious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surreptitious
Adjective
  • That was a concern because other research has indicated the Chinese government has, at times, delayed public disclosure of vulnerabilities submitted to the program so they could later be used in clandestine cyberattacks.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The screening usually focusses on clandestine hanky-panky, but this season the girls’ irreverence was so abundant that the producers treated them to an unprecedented second viewing night.
    Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • To achieve this, Israel employed airstrikes, cyberattacks, interdictions of weapons and covert action to impede Iran’s ability to resupply Hezbollah’s existing arsenal and supply it with more advanced weapons.
    Amy McAuliffe, The Conversation, 26 June 2026
  • After 1996, when the protease inhibitors were developed, the duty to warn continued to be an important standard when HIV status became more clinically covert.
    M. Sara Rosenthal, STAT, 25 June 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
  • The case stemmed from a 2022 FBI undercover operation where agents posed as real estate developers interested in building a convention center hotel in downtown Jackson, the outlet reported.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Following her cover story about going undercover as a high school student, Leibrock worked for SN&R a few more years before joining the staff at The Bee.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • Inside, plans call for wet and dry research labs, teaching labs, collaboration areas, offices, instructional spaces and a 130‑space underground parking garage.
    Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • Some experts — and Kennedy — argue that offering peptides through licensed compounding pharmacies would shrink this underground market and direct people toward safer products.
    Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • Gabriella paid off most of his entourage to leave him and the band alone and is now basically his own private Joe Jackson, pressuring him to record nonstop.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • The Castro family has been linked, through GAESA chiefly, to a lucrative world of hotels, banks, retail monopolies, foreign-currency businesses, foreign private compounds and offshore accounts.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Adjective
  • Contributor Yelena Alpert has a sneaking suspicion that these Frette slippers will last a lifetime, attributing her hypothesis to the shoe’s superior quality.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Surreptitious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surreptitious. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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