stealthy
adjective
Synonyms
- furtive
- shady
- shifty
- slippery
- sly
- sneaking
- sneaky
Example Sentences
Ezra Dyer, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2022 For one, the Navy declined to use the stealthy, angular design of the Zumwalt-class destroyers. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 25 Jan. 2022 To her surprise, the plumper was in fact doing its job in stealthy silence. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 10 Aug. 2022 Hanco Bol witnessed the yacht’s stealthy departure at 3 am on August 2 and subsequently posted a video of the three-hour journey on YouTube. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2022 Your Bond can be stealthy, fast, methodical, or an all-out murder machine. Alyse Knorr, Ars Technica, 6 July 2022 The trigger is stealthy and develops incrementally, with the potential of achieving chronic levels and the ultimate status of an occupational or psychological hazard. J. Gerald Suarez, USA TODAY, 15 June 2022 Pfennig thinks this stealthy strategy might be especially useful when the females’ choice between same species and other species isn’t obvious—when, say, females are in okay health, and ponds are of intermediate depth. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 July 2022 Researchers have identified stealthy new malware that threat actors have been using for the past 15 months to backdoor Microsoft Exchange servers after they have been hacked. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 30 June 2022 See More Word History
1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
stealthy
adjective
stealthy
adjective
Synonyms & Similar Words
- shady
- sneaky
- sneaking
- furtive
- sly
- shifty
- cunning
- clandestine
- dark
- slippery
- secretive
- cheating
- deceptive
- slick
- wily
- crooked
- treacherous
- covert
- artful
- crafty
- close
- devious
- guileful
- foxy
- insidious
- lying
- dishonest
- deceitful
- underhanded
- devious
- deceiving
- tricky
- duplicitous
- reticent
- closemouthed
- dissembling
- knavish
- perfidious
- untrustworthy
- underhand
- mendacious
- serpentine
- trickish
- defrauding
- untruthful
- two-faced
- double-dealing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- straightforward
- forthright
- direct
- candid
- plain
- open
- frank
- trustworthy
- plainspoken
- aboveboard
- truthful
- honest
- foursquare
Synonyms & Similar Words
- clandestine
- sneak
- covert
- stealth
- undercover
- underground
- sneaking
- surreptitious
- private
- sneaky
- furtive
- underhanded
- secret
- backstairs
- underhand
- undisclosed
- hush-hush
- hole-and-corner
- confidential
- hidden
- privy
- behind-the-scenes
- restricted
- classified
- hugger-mugger
- concealed
- subterranean
- top secret
- secreted
- off-the-books
- closed-door
- off-the-record
- unexposed
- unadvertised
- back-channel
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- overt
- public
- open
- straightforward
- avowed
- unrestricted
- acknowledged
- undisguised
- obvious
- unclassified
- unconcealed
- clear
- plain
- evident
- manifest
- aboveboard
- patent
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of stealthy are clandestine, covert, furtive, secret, surreptitious, and underhanded. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.
The words clandestine and stealthy can be used in similar contexts, but clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.
The meanings of covert and stealthy largely overlap; however, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.
In some situations, the words furtive and stealthy are roughly equivalent. However, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.
Although the words secret and stealthy have much in common, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.
The synonyms surreptitious and stealthy are sometimes interchangeable, but surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.
The words underhanded and stealthy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, underhanded stresses fraud or deception.