Stealthy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈstel-thē/

Meaning & Definition of Stealthy

Stealthy (adjective)

  1. slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character
  2. intended to escape observation, furtive
  3. designed to produce a very weak radar return

Stealthy (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. given to acting in secret and to concealing one's intentions

    "cats are among the stealthiest of stalkers"

    similar: furtive, shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, sneaky
    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

    "constantly harassed the enemy with stealthy raids"

    similar: backstairs, behind-the-scenes, clandestine, covert, furtive, hole-and-corner, hugger-mugger, hush-hush, private, privy, secret, sneak, sneaking, sneaky, stealth, 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 Stealthy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Stealthy:

furtive, shady, shifty, slippery, sly, sneaking, sneaky, 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 Stealthy

Words with the opposite meaning of Stealthy:

open, overt, public

Related Words for Stealthy

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 Stealthy

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 Stealthy

Inflections: stealthier, stealthiest

Derived words: stealthily (adverb), stealthiness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Stealthy

First known use: 1565

Frequently Asked Questions about Stealthy

What does "Stealthy" mean?

"Stealthy" means slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character. As an adjective, it is defined as: slow, deliberate, and secret in action or character. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Stealthy"?

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

What are different ways to say "Stealthy"?

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

What is the opposite of "Stealthy"?

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

How do you use "Stealthy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Stealthy" in a sentence: "cats are among the stealthiest of stalkers"; "constantly harassed the enemy with stealthy raids".

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

"Stealthy" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Stealthy"?

"Stealthy" is pronounced /ˈstel-thē/.

What is the origin of the word "Stealthy"?

First known use: 1565.