Furtive
Secretive and stealthy, avoiding notice or attention, especially to conceal wrongdoing or achieve a goal.
adjectiveFurtive
Secretive and stealthy, avoiding notice or attention, especially to conceal wrongdoing or achieve a goal.
adjectiveImagine This
Picture a cat burglar moving across a dimly lit room, pausing to listen for creaks, eyes fixed on the treasure as they tiptoe to avoid any sound.
Sounds Like
FUR-tiv
Looks Like
FUR-tive; visually resembles 'fur' + 'tive'
Remember This
Furtive often implies slyness or guilt; related forms include furtiveness (noun) and furtively (adverb).
Other Forms
Connect With
surreptitious, clandestine, stealthy, covert, secretive
Note
Furtive describes stealthy, covert behavior or looks meant to avoid notice and may imply wrongdoing. It is more suspicious than merely secretive or covert in a neutral sense. Use furtively to describe the action; reserve furtive for behavior that feels shady or dishonest.