1
as in shady
given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions
a furtive guy who always seems to be up to something, and usually that something is no-good
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
gave each other furtive glances as we watched our friend open the booby-trapped soda
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of furtive
One of Austin’s best taquerias is moving from its furtive spot in a downtown alley to one of the most famous streets in the city.
—
Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
At the cottage, our protagonists replace the furtive glances and locker-room tension from earlier episodes with quiet intimacy and words of affirmation.
—Chris Dong, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025
In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Then there was a furtive crunch, crunch, crunch of footsteps.
—Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for furtive
Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
At the cottage, our protagonists replace the furtive glances and locker-room tension from earlier episodes with quiet intimacy and words of affirmation.
—Chris Dong, USA Today, 27 Dec. 2025
In a grimy gray wig and sober black suit that subtly but pointedly leaps a century forward from the play’s origins to recall the Founding Fathers, Matthew Broderick’s Tartuffe speaks like the grandpa next door and pads across the stage with furtive footsteps, a monster masquerading as a mouse.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
Then there was a furtive crunch, crunch, crunch of footsteps.
—Bob Cary, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for furtive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furtive
Adjective
-
Bush violet thrives in shady conditions of the porch, producing an abundance of bright purple blooms throughout the growing season.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
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As long as there’s plenty of clearance for fire safety measures, the tree’s branches can provide a shady spot for gathering while the sun is still high in the sky.—
Marisa Donnelly,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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Filling out the role of Ilya is Jay Armstrong Johnson; Jimin Moon plays Shane; Ryann Redmond plays a wine-mom narrator who lives for their clandestine love.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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For those escaping to Philadelphia from regions nearer to Pennsylvania, clandestine travel by small boat or by road was more likely than stowing away on a steamship.—
Jeremy Mennis,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Davis occasionally destabilizes this very familiar soundtrack with sly production tricks from Horne.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
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Elsewhere, Brad Oscar’s Mayor Menlove — memorably played on the series by Alan Cumming — brings warmth and sly humor to the role, while Ann Harada smoothly reprises her TV performance as Florence Menlove.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
Adjective
-
According to reports, the B-21 isn’t just a long-range, stealthy flying munitions silo.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
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Christie’s is also increasingly reliant on these stealthy transactions.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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First Israeli deployment in an Arab state The covert Israeli deployment of the country’s vaunted Iron Dome missile defense system in the UAE underscored the nations’ deepening ties, an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN last week, confirming a report by Axios.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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Paglen traces magickal attempts to mold reality back to midcentury covert operations such as the CIA’s infamous MKUltra program—the one exploring mind control through electroshock therapy, hypnosis, and LSD.—
Louis Bury,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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This perpetuates the deceptive claims and sneaky marketing tactics employed by manufacturers, such as the promise of losing a lot of weight in an impossibly short time frame.—
Jad Abdel Nour,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
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Some sneaky actors will lobby for regulation that favors them.—
Robert Johnson,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Duties include developing operation plans and going undercover.—
Angela Rodriguez
May 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 May 2026
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The measure has some exceptions, such as undercover operations, SCUBA teams, bomb squads, and SWAT teams, but broadly bans masks.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Furtive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furtive. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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