Meaning & use
sneak out
Last updated
UK/ˌsniːk ˈaʊt/
US/ˌsniːk ˈaʊt/
Meaning
phraseintransitive
To leave a place quietly and secretly, usually to avoid being seen or caught.
Grammar: Intransitive phrasal verb; often followed by 'of' to indicate the place left.
Patterns
- sneak out of something
- sneak out to do something
He tried to sneak out of the house without waking his parents.
She sneaked out of the meeting to take an important call.
The cat sneaked out through the open window.
Word forms
| third person singular | sneaks out |
|---|---|
| past tense | sneaked out |
| past participle | sneaked out |
| -ing form | sneaking out |
| informal past tense | snuck out |
Common combinations
- sneak out of bed
- The child sneaked out of bed to get a glass of water.
- sneak out the back door
- They sneaked out the back door to avoid the reporters.
- sneak out at night
- Teenagers often try to sneak out at night.
Synonyms and how they differ
- slip out
- Slip out means to leave quietly and unnoticed, but it can also mean to leave quickly without secrecy; sneak out emphasizes avoiding detection.
- creep out
- Creep out means to move slowly and quietly, often to avoid being heard; sneak out focuses on leaving secretly.
Opposites
march inannounce one's arrival
Word family
Practice
The students ______ out of the dormitory after curfew.
Choose one answer.
Both 'sneaked' and 'snuck' are accepted past tense forms; 'snuck' is informal. The base form 'sneak' is incorrect here because the sentence needs a past tense.
Make it your own
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