Meaning & use
stealthily
Last updated
Meanings
adverbnot comparable
In a careful, quiet way meant to avoid being seen or heard.
Grammar: Describes movement or action: crept stealthily.
Patterns
- move stealthily
- creep stealthily
The cat crept stealthily toward the bird.
He stealthily opened the door so he would not wake the baby.
The thief moved stealthily along the wall.
adverbnot comparable
In a secret manner, without telling others.
Grammar: Used for actions that are hidden, not just quiet.
The company stealthily raised its prices over the year.
She stealthily collected the evidence over several months.
Common combinations
- move stealthily
- The soldiers moved stealthily through the forest.
- creep stealthily
- He crept stealthily up the stairs.
- stealthily approach
- The hunter stealthily approached the deer.
- stealthily slip
- She stealthily slipped a note into his bag.
- act stealthily
- They acted stealthily to avoid attention.
Synonyms and how they differ
- secretly
- Secretly stresses that others are not told, while stealthily stresses quiet, careful movement.
- furtively
- Furtively adds a nervous, guilty feeling that stealthily does not require.
- quietly
- Quietly only describes low noise and does not imply hiding.
- surreptitiously
- Surreptitiously is more formal and focuses on avoiding being noticed doing something not allowed.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: stealthily or steadily?
stealthily vs steadily
Steadily means at a constant rate; stealthily means quietly and secretly.
Practice
Which word best fits? The burglar moved ___ through the dark house.
Choose one answer.
Stealthily means quietly to avoid notice. Steadily means at a constant pace, and the others do not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stealthily”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.