stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē How to pronounce stealthy (audio)
stealthier; stealthiest
Synonyms of stealthynext
1
: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character
2
a
: intended to escape observation : furtive
b
: designed to produce a very weak radar return
a stealthy airplane
stealthily
ˈstel-thə-lē How to pronounce stealthy (audio)
adverb
stealthiness
ˈstel-thē-nəs How to pronounce stealthy (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for stealthy

secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation.

secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Examples of stealthy in a Sentence

the stealthy movements of the crocodile cats are among the stealthiest of stalkers
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Scientists know now that the stealthy menace originated in east Asia and was probably spread inadvertently by people to every continent except Antarctica. —Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024 That’s precisely how the stealthier points of the campaign feel. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 To avoid this political inconvenience, Biden-Harris administration officials came up with a temporary solution: a massive and stealthy insurance industry bailout. —Tomas J. Philipson, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2024 This would reduce transit times and allow for longer and stealthier operations. —Jonathan Caverley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stealthy 

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stealthy was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near stealthy

stealthful

stealthy

steam

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Stealthy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stealthy. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

stealthy

adjective
ˈstel-thē How to pronounce stealthy (audio)
stealthier; stealthiest
1
: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character
2
: intended to escape observation : furtive
stealthily
-thə-lē How to pronounce stealthy (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on stealthy

Nglish: Translation of stealthy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of stealthy for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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