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
: to put, bring, or take in a furtive or artful manner
sneak a smoke
Sneaked vs. Snuck: Usage Guide
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 U.S. and Canada but has also been spotted in British and Australian English.
1
: a person who acts in a stealthy, furtive, or shifty manner
2
a
: a stealthy or furtive move
b
: an unobserved departure or escape
3
: sneaker sense 2
—usually used in plural
1
: carried on secretly : clandestine
2
: occurring without warning : surprise
a sneak attack
Synonyms
Verb
Noun
Adjective
Examples of sneak in a Sentence
Verb
They tried to sneak into the movie without paying.
She sneaked some cigars through customs.
He snuck a few cookies out of the jar while his mother wasn't looking.
They caught him trying to sneak food into the theater.
Can I sneak a peek at your quiz answers?
Noun
What a rotten sneak! I should have known not to trust her.
He ran a sneak up the middle for a touchdown.
Adjective
a sneak attack on the nation's capitol
Recent Examples on the Web
Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2024
Devin Williams received back-to-back sentences of 25 years to life in prison for the fatal shootings of Maria and Benison Tran, who were shot at near point-blank range after Williams snuck into their Dublin home and confronted them in a fit of jealous rage.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
McDonald's is bringing back the fan favorite McRib sandwich in Michigan this December, with an early sneak peak that includes a splash of sauce.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017
See all Example Sentences for sneak 
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Verb
While his family makes dinner and festive snacks, the young boy sneaks food and brings a dish to his neighbor's doorstep.
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2024
Devin Williams received back-to-back sentences of 25 years to life in prison for the fatal shootings of Maria and Benison Tran, who were shot at near point-blank range after Williams snuck into their Dublin home and confronted them in a fit of jealous rage.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
Fans of the Texas Longhorns can get a sneak peak at two UT teams this week.
—Danny Davis, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
McDonald's is bringing back the fan favorite McRib sandwich in Michigan this December, with an early sneak peak that includes a splash of sauce.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song
And the internet has receipts.
—Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017
See all Example Sentences for sneak
Articles Related to sneak
Video
Sneaked vs. Snuck
How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary
Dictionary Entries Near sneak
Cite this Entry
“Sneak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sneak. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sneak
2 of 3 noun1
: a person who acts in a secret or sly manner
2
: the act or an instance of sneaking
sneak
3 of 3 adjective1
: carried on secretly : clandestine
2
: occurring without warning
a sneak attack
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