sneaking

[ snee-king ]

adjective

1. acting in a furtive or underhand way.
2. deceitfully underhand, as actions; contemptible.
3. secret; not generally avowed, as a feeling, notion, suspicion, etc.

sneaking

/ ˈsniːkɪŋ /

adjective

1. acting in a furtive or cowardly way
2. secret

   a sneaking desire to marry a millionaire

3. slight but nagging (esp in the phrase a sneaking suspicion )

Derived Forms

• ˈsneakingly, adverb
• ˈsneakingness, noun

Other Words From

• sneaking·ly adverb
• sneaking·ness noun
• un·sneaking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sneaking¹

First recorded in 1575–85; sneak + -ing ²

Example Sentences

“Don’t,” blurted her mother, Rebecca Marriott, who laughed along with everyone else, but kept sneaking anxious peeks at her watch.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet as I made my way through the sixth and seventh seasons of the Emmy-winning NBC drama, I began to have a sneaking suspicion that I was watching these episodes for the first time.

From Los Angeles Times

Whereas the safe route suggests sneaking new foods into our diets, the sushi route suggests embracing their novelty and using that as a selling point.

From Salon

Jack Draper's slim hopes of sneaking into the season-ending ATP Finals are over after his seven-match winning streak was ended in the Paris Masters third round.

From BBC

“New Wave” juxtaposes the memories of Ai’s uncles and aunts sneaking into underground clubs around Southern California with impressions of her own fragmented childhood, scarred by parental abandonment.

From Los Angeles Times