sneaky
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++sneak·y /ˈsniːki/ ●○○ adjective DISHONESTdoing things in a secret and often dishonest or unfair way 偷偷摸摸的，鬼鬼祟祟的 SYN underhand a sneaky little trick 鬼鬼祟祟的小把戏► see thesaurus at dishonest —sneakily adverb —sneakiness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
sneaky• The biggest problem with sanctions: people are sneaky.• Watch out for Andy. He can be really sneaky.• But he was both obstructionist and very, very sneaky.• So maybe he already had the rundown on me when he gave me that sexy sneaky grin that day.• You never know what's going on in that sneaky mind of his.• It's a sneaky move designed to reduce the company's tax bill.• Snake is a notorious bank robber who, unlike his reptilian namesake, is far from sneaky or subtle.• As the bowlers work on it, the scar becomes deeper and wider with every sneaky scratch altering the aerodynamics.• I also felt a small, sneaky sense of my own power over him.• You call those sneaky, underhand tactics coming to my aid?• He stopped to watch for a moment, quietly moving foliage for a sneaky view.sneak·y adjectiveChineseSyllable
and a Corpus in things doing often secret dishonest
sneaky
sneak‧y /ˈsniːki/
adjective
doing things in a secret and often dishonest or unfair way
SYN underhand:
a sneaky little trick
—sneakily adverb
—sneakiness noun [uncountable]
▪ dishonest behaving in a way that is intended to deceive people, for example by lying, cheating, or stealing: Are you accusing me of being dishonest? | The money was acquired through dishonest means. | People are no longer surprised to find that politicians are dishonest.
▪corrupt using your power in a dishonest way for your own advantage – used about people in official positions: corrupt politicians | Law and order has broken down, and most government officials are corrupt.
▪devious /ˈdiːviəs/ good at secretly thinking of clever plans to trick people in order to get what you want: You have a very devious mind! | They use all kinds of devious methods to find out your personal details.
▪underhand British English, underhanded American English underhand methods involve secretly deceiving people in order to get what you want: In a series of underhand moves, Browne managed to gain control of the company.
▪sneaky doing or saying things secretly, in a way that seems wrong because it is slightly dishonest or unfair: It was pretty sneaky when the bank charged me interest on my account without telling me.
▪sly deliberately behaving in a way that hides what you are really thinking or doing, in a way that is slightly dishonest: Lucy decided not to tell him where she was going. She was often a bit sly like that. | He’s a sly old fox.
▪unscrupulous /ʌnˈskruːpjələs, ʌnˈskruːpjʊləs/ using dishonest and unfair methods to get what you want, without caring if you harm other people: Some unscrupulous companies try to persuade people to borrow huge sums of money.
▪fraudulent /ˈfrɔːdjələnt, ˈfrɔːdjʊlənt $ ˈfrɒːdʒə-/ formal deliberately deceiving people in an illegal way in order to gain money or power: You will be prosecuted if you make a fraudulent claim on your insurance policy.
sneak‧y /ˈsniːki/
adjectivedoing things in a secret and often dishonest or unfair way
SYN underhand:
—sneakily adverb
—sneakiness noun [uncountable]
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