sneak

¹sneak

verb \ˈsnēk\

sneaked\ˈsnēkt\ or snuck\ˈsnək\sneak·ing

Definition of SNEAK

intransitive verb

1

: to go stealthily or furtively : slink <snuck out early>

2

: to act in or as if in a furtive manner

3

: to carry the football on a quarterback sneak

transitive verb

: to put, bring, or take in a furtive or artful manner <sneak a smoke>

— sneak up on

: to approach or act on stealthily

Usage Discussion of SNEAK

From its earliest appearance in print in the late 19th century as a dialectal and probably uneducated form, the past and past participle snuck has risen to the status of standard and to approximate equality with sneaked. It is most common in the United States and Canada but has also been spotted in British and Australian English.

Examples of SNEAK

1. They tried to sneak into the movie without paying.
2. She sneaked some cigars through customs.
3. He snuck a few cookies out of the jar while his mother wasn't looking.
4. They caught him trying to sneak food into the theater.
5. Can I sneak a peek at your quiz answers?

Origin of SNEAK

akin to Old English snīcan to sneak along, Old Norse snīkja

First Known Use: 1594

Related to SNEAK

Synonyms: lurk, mooch, mouse, pussyfoot, shirk, skulk, slide, slink, slip, snake, steal

Related Words: crawl, creep, edge, inch, worm; ghost, pad, tiptoe

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at lurk

Rhymes with SNEAK

beak, bleak, cheek, chic, cleek, clique, creak, creek, Creek, eke, flic, freak, geek, gleek, Greek, keek, leak, leek, meek, peak, peek, peke, pic, pique, reek, screak, seek, sheikh, shriek, sic, Sikh, sleek, speak, squeak, steek, streak, streek, teak, tweak, weak, week