Furtive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈfər-tiv/ fur·tive

Meaning & Definition of Furtive

Furtive (adjective)

  1. done in a quiet and secretive way to avoid being noticed, surreptitious
  2. expressive of stealth, sly
  3. obtained underhandedly, stolen

Furtive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, sneaky, stealthy
    related: artful, crafty, cunning, devious, foxy, guileful, slick, wily, close, closemouthed, reticent, secretive, clandestine, covert, dark, deceitful, deceiving, deceptive, duplicitous, trickish, tricky, underhand, underhanded, cheating, crooked, defrauding, dishonest, dissembling, double-dealing, knavish, two-faced, lying, mendacious, untrustworthy, untruthful, insidious, perfidious, serpentine, treacherous
    near: aboveboard, forthright, plainspoken, straightforward, candid, direct, foursquare, frank, open, plain, honest, trustworthy, truthful

  2. 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"

    similar: backstairs, behind-the-scenes, clandestine, covert, hole-and-corner, hugger-mugger, hush-hush, private, privy, secret, sneak, sneaking, sneaky, stealth, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, underground, underhand, underhanded
    related: back-channel, closed-door, off-the-books, off-the-record, classified, confidential, restricted, top secret, undisclosed, concealed, hidden, secreted, subterranean, unadvertised, unexposed
    opposite: open, overt, public
    near: acknowledged, avowed, aboveboard, straightforward, unconcealed, undisguised, unclassified, unrestricted, clear, evident, manifest, obvious, patent, plain

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Furtive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Furtive:

shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, sneaky, stealthy, backstairs, behind-the-scenes, clandestine, covert, hole-and-corner, hugger-mugger, hush-hush, private, privy, secret, sneak, stealth, surreptitious, undercover, underground, underhand, underhanded

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Furtive

Words with the opposite meaning of Furtive:

open, overt, public

Related Words for Furtive

artful, crafty, cunning, devious, foxy, guileful, slick, wily, close, closemouthed, reticent, secretive, dark, deceitful, deceiving, deceptive, duplicitous, trickish, tricky, cheating, crooked, defrauding, dishonest, dissembling, double-dealing, knavish, two-faced, lying, mendacious, untrustworthy

Near Antonyms of Furtive

aboveboard, forthright, plainspoken, straightforward, candid, direct, foursquare, frank, plain, honest, trustworthy, truthful, acknowledged, avowed, unconcealed, undisguised, unclassified, unrestricted, clear, evident, manifest, obvious, patent

Word Forms of Furtive

Derived words: furtively (adverb), furtiveness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Furtive

French or Latin; French furtif, from Latin furtivus, from furtum theft, from fur thief, from or akin to Greek phōr thief; akin to Greek pherein to carry bear

First known use: 1612

Frequently Asked Questions about Furtive

What does "Furtive" mean?

"Furtive" means done in a quiet and secretive way to avoid being noticed, surreptitious. As an adjective, it is defined as: done in a quiet and secretive way to avoid being noticed, surreptitious. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Furtive"?

Other words for "Furtive" include shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, sneaky, stealthy and backstairs. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Furtive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Furtive"?

There are 74 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Furtive". Common alternatives include shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, sneaky, stealthy, backstairs, behind-the-scenes and clandestine.

What is the opposite of "Furtive"?

Antonyms of "Furtive" include open, overt and public. Near antonyms include aboveboard, forthright, plainspoken and straightforward.

How do you use "Furtive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Furtive" in a sentence: "a furtive guy who always seems to be up to something, and usually that something is no-good"; "gave each other furtive glances as we watched our friend open the booby-trapped soda".

Is "Furtive" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Furtive" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Furtive"?

"Furtive" is pronounced /ˈfər-tiv/ and divided into syllables as fur·tive.

What is the origin of the word "Furtive"?

"Furtive" comes from French or Latin; French furtif, from Latin furtivus, from furtum theft, from fur thief, from or akin to Greek phōr thief; akin to Greek pherein to carry bear. First known use: 1612.