Sneaked or Snuck | Definition, Explanation & Examples
The simple past tense form and past participle of the verb sneak can be sneaked or snuck.
In academic writing, it would be more usual to use sneaked as it is more formal.
| Sneaked in a sentence examples | Snuck in a sentence examples |
|---|---|
| Pete had sneaked into the concert through the stage door.
Liam squealed with delight when he sneaked up on his dad and startled him. |
Adil had snuck around the back of the building to see if his bike was there.
I snuck an extra donut on my plate without my mom noticing. |
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Sneaked
Sneaked is the simple past form of the verb sneak. It is also the past participle form (used for all perfect tenses of the verb and for the passive voice). In this case, sneak is a regular verb.
The burglar had sneaked in the back door while I was upstairs.
We could only assume that the flares had been sneaked in past the security staff.
Snuck
In American English, sneak can also be an irregular verb with snuck as the simple past tense form and past participle. Snuck can be used interchangeably with sneaked. However, it might be best avoided in formal writing, as some people will see it as nonstandard.
Alice was over the moon because she had snuck to the front of the crowd right by the stage.
I couldn’t believe how much contraband had been snuck into the venue.
Frequently asked questions about sneaked or snuck
- What is the past tense of sneak?
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The simple past of the verb sneak is sneaked or snuck. In American English both forms are acceptable, but in British English, snuck is seen as a nonstandard form.
The same applies to the past participle of sneak.
You can check if you are using the correct form of sneak with the QuillBot Grammar Checker.
- What does sneak up mean?
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When you sneak up on someone or something, you approach without being noticed. Sneak up is always followed by the preposition “to” or “on.”
We can use sneak up literally, to describe a person or creature moving stealthily, or we can use it figuratively to describe how events sometimes seem to arrive without our noticing (e.g., “As always, the examinations had sneaked up on us”).
You can find synonyms for phrases like “sneak up” using the QuillBot Paraphraser.
- Is sneaked a word?
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Yes, sneaked is a word that has been in use for more than 500 years. It is the simple past tense form and past participle of the verb sneak.
Sneak is a regular verb and adds “-ed” to the infinitive of the verb to make these forms of the verb.
In American English, snuck is an accepted alternative to sneaked.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using words like sneaked or snuck correctly.
- Is snuck a word?
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In American English, you can use either sneaked or snuck as the simple past tense form and past participle of the verb sneak.
In British English, “snuck” is regarded as nonstandard and should not be used in academic writing. Instead, it is sometimes used informally in British English, and it will often carry a humorous tone because of its nonstandard status.
You can check your grammar and spelling with the QuillBot Grammar Checker.
