sneak past

verb

To get through or successfully go around an inspection, guard or bureaucratic hurdle.

“It might be seen as inappropriate, but I'll sneak it past human resources.”

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Meanings

verbsneak past (third-person singular simple present sneaks past, present participle sneaking past, simple past and past participle sneaked past or (Canada, US) snuck past)

present singular third person sneaks past · participle present sneaking past · participle past sneaked past · past sneaked past · Canada US participle past snuck past · Canada US past snuck past

  1. transitiveTo get through or successfully go around an inspection, guard or bureaucratic hurdle.

    It might be seen as inappropriate, but I'll sneak it past human resources.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
put byslip past
Cite this entry
APA

sneak past. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sneak%20past

MLA

“sneak past.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sneak%20past. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sneak past,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sneak%20past.

Source: sneak past on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.