furtively
Like a thief
Furtively describes doing something in a stealthy, secretive way, typically because you don't want to be noticed or caught.
It suggests guilt or at least the awareness that others might disapprove: She furtively checked her phone during the meeting.
The word carries connotations of sneakiness rather than mere privacy—someone acting furtively knows they're doing something they probably shouldn't.
Furtive brief look
stolen glance · side-eye · watchful · wary · nervous · darting · quick look · over-the-shoulder
Move furtively
- prowlRoam stealthily
- creepStealthy, slow movement
- tiptoeWalk on foot-fronts
- skulkMove with secretive intent
lurk · sneak · stalk · sidle · glide · slither · shadow · slip
Kept out of sight
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
- covertIntentionally concealed
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
incognito · veiled · disguised · undetected · unobserved · unseen · private · discreet
peek
Furtive brief look
sideways · stolen glance · side-eye · watchful · wary · nervous · darting · quick look · over-the-shoulder
slink
Move furtively
skulk · lurk · sneak · stalk · sidle · glide · slither · shadow · slip · dart
hidden
Kept out of sight
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
- covertIntentionally concealed
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
undercover · incognito · veiled · disguised · undetected · unobserved · unseen · private · discreet · hushed
sly
Cleverly deceptive
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- deviousUnderhanded and calculating
- underhandedSecretly dishonest or unfair
shifty · crafty · wily · scheming · duplicitous · conniving · guileful · artful · foxy · slippery
- shady adverbsdishonestly, deceitfully, deceptively, fraudulently, sneakily
furtivelyopenly
Without hiding anything
overtly · publicly · conspicuously · visibly · in plain sight
furtivelyboldly
With fearless confidence
brazenly · blatantly · barefacedly · shamelessly · unashamedly
- furtive glanceSecretive quick look