sneaked

verb

variants or snuck
past tense of sneak
1
as in lurked
to move about in a sly or secret manner the little kids sneak around upstairs when they're supposed to be in bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in infiltrated
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way sneak the topic into the conversation any way you can

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sneaked Ersery, a Ruskin product, snuck out of the KC metro to become an all-Big Ten left tackle for Minnesota. — Pj Green september 24, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026 Florida snuck by the namesake SEC rival 44-39 in their first meeting since 2019. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026 Armstrong even sneaked ahead and pulled off a proper jump scare as himself, pointing out a mirror that created a hiding spot for performers. — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Hutton snuck in a right-footed shot from a narrow angle in the 73rd minute, trimming the lead. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 In 2026, Southlake Carroll snuck into the playoffs with a 6-8 District 4-6A record to preserve a playoff streak started in 1999. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026 The Euphoria star posed solo on the red carpet ahead of the awards show, while Holland, 30, snuck in behind to enter the Peacock Theater and be by her side. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026 By the early Seventies, Biggart had a flourishing commercial photography career, but sometimes snuck away on passion projects. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 Ryan drove the ball into the Gotham penalty area and snuck her shot near the post, beating a diving Gotham goalkeeper. — Spencer Baldwin, Denver Post, 6 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sneaked
  1. lurked
  2. infiltrated
  3. slipped
  4. inserted
  5. slid
  6. stole
Verb
  • Former landlords lurked in bushes or on roofs or waited in cars outside our home.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Danger lurked in the shady groves of avocado trees that stretched on the mountainsides as far as the eye could see.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurked
Verb
  • Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said an OpenAI agent infiltrated the public-facing Medicare Statistics Reporting Service portal on June 18.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Israel wants the agency known as UNRWA out of Gaza and has repeatedly accused it of being infiltrated by Hamas militants, allegations the International Court of Justice says have not been substantiated.
    — Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of infiltrated
Verb
  • His penchant for the audacious was on display in 2024 when Puigdemont suddenly appeared in Barcelona, gave a public speech and slipped through the police’s grip.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The father lifted the child to check out the hotel's waterpark visible from a window when the boy somehow slipped and tumbled 12 meters (about 40 feet), falling to his death.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of slipped
Verb
  • The modified biochar was then inserted between layers of two biodegradable plastics, polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), therefore creating pathways that could absorb and weaken electromagnetic waves.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Bake for 31 to 34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of inserted
Verb
  • Lab technician Aleksej Kubelka carefully opened the large machine and slid out a tray.
    — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Cartagena’s Alquímico and Bangkok’s Bar Us slid in at the third and fourth spots, respectively, and Athens’s Line rounded out the top five.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of slid
Verb
  • While the 28-year-old hit 19 homers and stole 41 bases, his 98 wRC+ ranked 14th among qualified second basemen.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Someone stole the entrance sign at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan's Upper Peninsula during the weekend, and park officials are asking for its return.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of stole

Browse Nearby Words

sneak
sneaked
sneaked up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sneaked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sneaked. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All