What does sneaky mean?
Sneaky means secret, furtive, or deceitful, especially in a way intended to gain an advantage or avoid discovery. It is commonly used for actions, methods, and people: a sneaky trick may conceal information, sneaky tactics may be deliberately underhand, and a sneaky person may act without being open about their intentions. The word generally has a negative connotation because secrecy or deception suggests that the person involved believes honest behaviour would not achieve the desired result. Its tone can become playful or affectionate when the deception is trivial or harmless. Sneaky is part of standard informal English in both British and American usage and is especially useful when the focus is not merely on an action being hidden, but on a deliberate attempt to mislead, surprise, or gain an unfair advantage.
adjectiveSneaky describes behaviour that is furtive, deceitful, or intended to conceal an action from others. It can also describe a person who uses secrecy or deception to achieve an aim.
- Characterized by secrecy, concealment, or an intention to avoid being noticed.
- Deceitful, underhand, or untrustworthy in manner or motivation.
"He used a sneaky trick to get the job without telling anyone he had applied."
"The child made a sneaky move and hid the cookies before anyone else arrived."
"The advertisement was criticized for using sneaky tactics to make the product seem more valuable than it really was."
Sneaky carries a small '-y' but a strong moral charge: it suggests that an action is hidden precisely because someone does not want it noticed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sneaky come from?
Sneaky was formed in English from the older verb sneak by adding the familiar suffix -y, which creates an adjective describing a characteristic way of acting. The related forms sneakily, sneakiness, and sneakingly developed from the same verbal base. The word belongs to the broader family of English words associated with moving, entering, or behaving in a furtive manner.
Related word forms
How sneaky is actually used
Sneaky is informal in register and usually carries a critical or disapproving tone, although it can be playful when describing harmless behaviour. It is common in both British and American English and may describe either an action or a person.
Easily confused with sneaky
Sneak is a verb meaning to move or act secretly, whereas sneaky is an adjective describing such behaviour or the person responsible for it.