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View synonyms for stealth

stealth

[ stelth ]

noun

  1. secret, clandestine, or surreptitious procedure.
  2. a furtive departure or entrance.
  3. Obsolete.
    1. an act of stealing; theft.
    2. the thing stolen; booty.
  4. Stealth, Military. a U.S. Air Force project involving a range of technologies, with the purpose of developing aircraft that are difficult to detect by sight, sound, radar, and infrared energy.


adjective

  1. not openly acknowledged; surreptitious; secret:

    They used underhand methods such as the stealth hiring of a competitor's CEO.

    Spending cuts are the stealth issue of this presidential race.

  2. (of a transgender person) living as a cisgender member of one's identified gender, without revealing that one is transgender:

    For some transgender people, being stealth may be the safest option.

stealth

1

/ stɛlθ /

noun

  1. the act or characteristic of moving with extreme care and quietness, esp so as to avoid detection

    the stealth of a cat

  2. cunning or underhand procedure or dealing
  3. archaic.
    the act of stealing
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Stealth

2

/ stɛlθ /

noun

  1. informal.
    modifier denoting or referring to technology that aims to reduce the radar, thermal, and acoustic recognizability of aircraft and missiles
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈstealthful, adjective
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Other Words From

  • stealth·ful adjective
  • stealth·ful·ly adverb
  • stealth·less adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of stealth1

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stelthe, stelth; compare Old English stælthing “theft”; steal, -th 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of stealth1

C13 stelthe ; see steal , -th 1
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Example Sentences

The duo's stealth was called upon in the 25th minute when underdogs Arsenal opened the scoring through Thierry Henry.

From BBC

That, along with The Times logo embroidered on the back, makes this item from Shop LA Times stylish stealth merch at its best.

"Am I going to see tax on my pension contributions, any kind of stealth tax?"

From BBC

One option is though what has been dubbed a stealth tax - a means of raising revenue which is not explicitly labelled or intended as a tax.

From BBC

At the time, this was denounced by the Labour opposition as a "stealth tax".

From BBC

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More About Stealth

What does stealth mean?

Stealth is a specific way of acting or moving that is intended to be secret or of avoiding detection, as in The cat used its stealth to sneak up on the unsuspecting mouse. 

Stealth is also used to describe something that is secret or is trying to avoid detection, as in The thieves organized a stealth meeting, away from the watchful eyes of the detectives.

The adjectives stealthful and stealthy are used to describe something that uses stealth, as in The stealthy fox managed to avoid getting caught by the farmer’s dogs. 

Stealthily and stealthfully are used to describe something done with stealth, as in Santa Claus stealthily slipped the Christmas presents into the stockings to avoid waking the children.  

Example: The spy used cunning and stealth to sneak into the embassy and smuggle out the documents. 

Where does stealth come from?

The first records of stealth come from around 1200. It comes from Middle English stelthe or stelth and is related to the Old English stælthing, meaning “theft.” Stealth used to mean “theft” or the act of stealing, but this usage is now considered obsolete.

In popular culture, stealth is often an important quality for sneaky persons, such as spies, thieves, secret agents, and ninjas. Often, these crafty people have fancy gadgets or technology that allow them to avoid detection and enhance their stealth. In gaming, a character will often have a “stealth skill” to express how good (or bad) they are at sneaking around and avoiding getting found by enemies.

In real life, stealth is equally important for people or things that are trying to avoid being caught. For example, stealth jets and similar aircraft are designed to be difficult to see against the sky or to avoid radar equipment.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to stealth?

  • stealthful (adjective)
  • stealthily (adverb)
  • stealthless (adjective)

What are some synonyms for stealth?

What are some words that share a root or word element with stealth

What are some words that often get used in discussing stealth?

How is stealth used in real life?

Stealth is a commonly used word to describe attempts at avoiding detection or being sneaky.

Try using stealth!

Which of the following words would NOT be a synonym of stealth?

A. covertness
B. furtiveness
C. openness
D. slyness

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steal someone's thunderStealth bomber