stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē 

stealthier; stealthiest

1

: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character

2

a

: intended to escape observation : furtive

b

: designed to produce a very weak radar return

a stealthy airplane

stealthily

ˈstel-thə-lē 

adverb

stealthiness

ˈstel-thē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• furtive
• shady
• shifty
• slippery
• sly
• sneaking
• sneaky

Choose the Right Synonym for stealthy

secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation.

secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

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

underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Examples of stealthy in a Sentence

the stealthy movements of the crocodile

cats are among the stealthiest of stalkers

Recent Examples on the Web

The stealthy malware family in both campaigns is known as Necro. —Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 23 Sep. 2024

The film features hidden gold, an unexploded bomb, and stealthy freedom fighters, all located in and around a haunted institution. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024

The big picture: The Corps is experimenting with what's known as the Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel — a stealthy 55-foot semisubmersible made possible by the Pentagon's Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve. —Colin Demarest, Axios, 11 Sep. 2024

While promoting their new film Blink Twice this month, which Kravitz directed and Tatum stars in, the duo have opted for a stealthy and discreet aesthetic, choosing looks that whisper elegance rather than scream it from the rooftops. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 19 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē 

stealthier; stealthiest

1

: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character

2

: intended to escape observation : furtive

stealthily

-thə-lē 

adverb