stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē 

stealthier; stealthiest

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 

adverb

stealthiness

ˈstel-thē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• furtive
• shady
• shifty
• slippery
• sly
• sneaking
• sneaky

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

But the website also has messages about residents being startled, as Catanzaro was, by stealthy contractors with air guns. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2025

Ones that lift and lower, offer stealthy storage, and blend into the walls By Erika Owen and Shoko Wanger All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. —Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2025

And finally, loyal wingmen aircraft are expected to be smaller, stealthier and used in larger numbers. —Amir Husain, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025

This means building satellites that can detect impending attacks and maneuver away from them and that can defend themselves or avoid detection by being stealthy. —Stephen Peter Rosen, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stealthy

• healthy
• wealthy
• unhealthy

Kids Definition

stealthy

adjective

ˈstel-thē 

stealthier; stealthiest

1

: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character

2

: intended to escape observation : furtive

stealthily

-thə-lē 

adverb