# sneak

/ˈsnik/ (US) · /snˈiːk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sneak
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to move stealthily

verb · CEFR B1

to move quietly and secretly so that people do not see or hear you.

For teachers: to move in a stealthy or surreptitious manner to avoid detection.

- I tried to sneak into the house without waking my parents.
- The teenagers attempted to sneak past the security guard, but the gravel crunching under their boots gave them away immediately.

### 2. to take or bring secretly

verb · CEFR B2

to take, give, or bring something secretly.

For teachers: to convey or obtain something surreptitiously, often bypassing rules or observation.

- She managed to sneak some snacks into the cinema in her large bag.
- He tried to sneak a glance at his colleague's notes during the meeting to see if his own proposal was mentioned.

### 3. to tell on someone

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · British English

to tell a person in authority about something bad that someone else has done.

For teachers: to inform an authority figure of another person's misconduct or secrets.

- Don't sneak on your brother just because he stayed up late.
- The younger students were warned not to sneak on their peers, as the school culture valued loyalty over strict rule enforcement.

Usage: usually takes the preposition 'on'

### 4. a person who tells on others

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person who secretly tells an authority about someone else's mistakes.

For teachers: a person who acts in a stealthy or underhanded way, particularly an informer or tell-tale.

- Nobody liked him because he was a sneak who told the teacher everything.
- The office environment became toxic when it was discovered that a sneak was reporting private conversations to the department head.

### 5. American football play

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

a play where the quarterback dives forward with the ball to gain a short distance.

For teachers: an offensive play in which the quarterback takes the snap and immediately lunges forward.

- The team won the game with a clever sneak on the final play.
- With only inches to go for a first down, the coach called for a quarterback sneak to secure the position.

### 6. secret or surprise

adjective · CEFR B2

done or happening in a secret or surprise way.

For teachers: acting or occurring in a stealthy, unannounced, or surreptitious manner.

- The army launched a sneak attack in the middle of the night.
- The studio arranged a sneak preview of the film to gauge audience reactions before the global marketing campaign began.

## Examples

- Don't be a sneak and tell the teacher.
- The office sneak was caught looking through the manager's private files during the lunch break.
- While he maintained a facade of loyalty, his colleagues eventually realized he was a sneak who reported their every minor infraction to the board.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.