English Reference
Idiom idiom

steal a glance


To look quickly at someone or something, hoping that nobody notices the action.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He stole a glance at his watch during the long meeting.

CONTEXTUAL

She stole a glance at the person sitting across from her to see if they were watching her too.

COMPLEX

Throughout the formal dinner, he repeatedly stole a glance at the mysterious letter tucked inside his jacket pocket, unable to focus on the conversation.


Related idioms5entries
  1. 01

    steal a march

    To gain an advantage unobserved.

  2. 02

    steal someone's heart

    To captivate someone; to mesmerize someone.

  3. 03

    steal someone's identity

    To assume another person's identity, usually to gain access to that person's finances or to frame a person for a crime; to commit identity theft.

  4. 04

    steal someone's thunder

    To appropriate someone's ideas or information, typically in order to look better at that person's expense.

  5. 05

    steal the show

    To be the best performer during a performance.

Last updated August 10, 2026