1 B1 neutral
To move quietly and carefully past a person or barrier without being seen or heard.
"The spy managed to sneak past the guard by hiding in the shadows."
inseparable
sneak past
B1 informal inseparable transitive
To move past a person, guard, or obstacle without being detected.
In plain English
To quietly pass by someone or something without them seeing or noticing you.
What does "sneak past" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To avoid detection by a system, rule, or person in authority.
"The amendment sneaked past committee review without attracting any debate."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To sneak (move secretly) while going past someone or something — transparent.
Actually means
To quietly pass by someone or something without them seeing or noticing you.
Usage tip
Used in both literal (physical movement) and figurative contexts (e.g. a policy sneaking past scrutiny). Common in gaming and sports commentary as well.
Words that pair with "sneak past"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
guard security goalkeeper defences filter undetected
How to conjugate "sneak past"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sneak past
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sneaks past
he/she/it
Past simple
sneaked past
yesterday
Past participle
sneaked past
have + pp
-ing form
sneaking past
continuous
Hear "sneak past" in the wild
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Other ways to say "sneak past"
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