Surreptitious
hardNegative tonesur-up-TISH-us
adjective
Definition
Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of
Memory hook
SUR-REPTITIOUS: like a REPTILE sneaking under cover - slithering secretly to grab what it wants.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“She took a surreptitious glance at her watch during the meeting.”
“The journalist made surreptitious recordings of the conversation.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“She took a ______ glance at her watch during the meeting.”
Show answer
surreptitious
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Surreptitious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "clandestine" or "furtive" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "overt".
Related GRE Words
clandestine
Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
stealthy
Behaving or done in a cautious and surreptitious manner
covert
Not openly acknowledged or displayed; secret
furtive
Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble
insidious
Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way with harmful effects
veiled
Partially concealed or disguised
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