# snuck

/ˈsnək/ (US) · /snˈʌk/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/snuck
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

moved quietly and secretly so that nobody would see or hear you. It is a past tense form of 'sneak'.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of 'sneak', primarily used in North American English. Describes moving in a stealthy or furtive manner to avoid detection.

## Examples

- He snuck into the kitchen to grab a midnight snack.
- The children snuck out of the house after their parents had fallen asleep to meet their friends at the park.
- Although the security guards were patrolling the perimeter every ten minutes, the intruder snuck past the main gate by hiding in the shadows of the delivery truck.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He has sneaked out already (in US English context)" but "He has snuck out already" — While 'sneaked' is never technically wrong, 'snuck' is the dominant form in informal American English and learners may find it more natural in those contexts.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used as the past tense of 'sneak' in North American English, though 'sneaked' is the standard form in British English and formal writing.

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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.