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
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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
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Recent Examples of sneaky
The emotion holds center stage, backed by adamant violins and horns and sneaky melodies that vault up an octave to hit surprising notes.
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Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
This Travelon anti-theft crossbody bag has a five-point security system and is made with slash-resistant materials that deter sneaky pickpockets.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2024
Find it on Amazon Enjoy Comfort In Yoga Dress Pants That Feel Like Leggings
These yoga dress pants are sneaky!
—Hyphensocial Contributors, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024
One sneaky ransomware sample completely evaded Data Protector, encrypting everything in the Documents folder.
—PCMAG, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sneaky 
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
This Travelon anti-theft crossbody bag has a five-point security system and is made with slash-resistant materials that deter sneaky pickpockets.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2024
Find it on Amazon Enjoy Comfort In Yoga Dress Pants That Feel Like Leggings
These yoga dress pants are sneaky!
—Hyphensocial Contributors, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024
One sneaky ransomware sample completely evaded Data Protector, encrypting everything in the Documents folder.
—PCMAG, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sneaky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaky
Adjective
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When temperatures start to warm in spring, begin to harden off the plant by placing it in a shady spot during the daytime.Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Dec. 2024
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Ji Chang-wook, who plays a shady broker, is bloodied and battered from the beginning of the series to the end.Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Under showrunner Rolin Jones, the adaptation of Anne Rice’s novels is richly written, thrillingly inhabited by its cast and so effortlessly funny with a framing device — the interview of the title — that is thick with intrigue and sly comedy.Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024
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She’s assisted by a wise librarian (Jessica Harper in a sly turn) and soon starts talking about empowerment to the moms in her Book Babies and Tyke Hike groups.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Through clandestine operations and cyberattacks, the country sabotaged key Iranian nuclear facilities.Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2024
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She's Helen, an agent passing on tips from high up in the Prime Minister's office to a clandestine agency (her loving husband happens to be Britain's defense minister).Tom Gliatto, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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More than ever, travelers are worried about avoiding these stealthy, bloodsucking pests.Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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Beneath their soft fur and playful demeanor hides one of nature’s most effective predators—stealthy, adaptable and relentless.Scott Travers, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The canard that the Jan. 6 riot was actually an FBI setup and was driven on by undercover agents has been circulating since the days after the attack.Will Carless, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
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There were no undercover FBI agents on the National Mall on Jan. 6, 2021, as then-President Trump encouraged his supporters to march to the Capitol, according to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General, rebutting a conspiracy theory surrounding the day’s events.Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But all of that changed starting in 2017, when Mr. Trump became president amid the F.B.I. investigation into Russia’s covert attempt to manipulate the 2016 election and the nature of the ties between his campaign and Moscow.Charlie Savage, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2024
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The indictment shows that the FBI unraveled some of the covert schemes and identified specific perpetrators.Michael Kan, PCMAG, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The trial was moved from Jerusalem for undisclosed security reasons and convened in an underground courtroom.Reuters, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024
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The trial proceedings, moved to a secure underground Tel Aviv courtroom, highlight Netanyahu's unique position as the first Israeli prime minister to testify as a criminal defendant.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near sneaky
Cite this Entry
“Sneaky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneaky. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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