surreptitiousness
Quality of sneakiness
Surreptitiousness is the quality of being secretive or stealthy, especially in doing something improper or unauthorized.
The word emphasizes concealment and caution—acting so as not to be noticed or caught: The surreptitiousness of their meetings suggested something illicit.
It carries connotations of sneakiness rather than mere privacy.
Practice of hiding information
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- hiddenKept out of sight
veiled · masked · disguised · incognito · undetected · unnoticed · unseen · camouflaged
Sly, strategic dishonesty
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
underhanded · scheming · conniving · devious · manipulation · trickery · artifice · subterfuge
Moving to avoid detection
- skulkingMoving furtively, covertly
- creepingMoving slowly, stealthily
- tiptoeingWalking on foot-fronts
- slinkingMoving with furtive stealth
prowling · lurking · sidling · stealing · glancing · peeking · eavesdropping · whispering
Secretly observing others
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
- cloak-and-daggerInvolving secret intrigue
mole · wiretapping · bugging · interception · dead-drop · tradecraft · counterintelligence · informant
secrecy
Practice of hiding information
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- clandestineConcealed from authorities
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
hidden · veiled · masked · disguised · incognito · undetected · unnoticed · unseen · camouflaged · obscured
guile
Sly, strategic dishonesty
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- slynessCunning in manner
duplicity · underhanded · scheming · conniving · devious · manipulation · trickery · artifice · subterfuge · wily
sneaking
Moving to avoid detection
slinking · prowling · lurking · sidling · stealing · glancing · peeking · eavesdropping · whispering · hushed
spying
Secretly observing others
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- reconnaissanceInformation-gathering before action
cloak-and-dagger · mole · wiretapping · bugging · interception · dead-drop · tradecraft · counterintelligence · informant · handler
surreptitiousnessopenness
Quality of being accessible
transparency · overtness · visibility · conspicuousness · obviousness
surreptitiousnesscandor
Unguarded truthfulness
candidness · directness · forthrightness · frankness · honesty