furtive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the celebrations in one Tehran neighborhood were also furtive and short lived to avoid riot police or members of the Basij, a voluntary auxiliary force with the Revolutionary Guards.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

Not exactly a secret, my complicated thoughts and feelings about my deeply personal connection to New York’s darkest day had always registered internally as something furtive.

From Salon • Sep. 11, 2024

“They’re recovering. They’re aggressive … they’re biting again,” he said, noting that’s a healthy sign for the usually furtive creatures.

From Seattle Times • May 21, 2024

Later, in furtive visits to internet cafes, he came across gay romance stories, but they often focused on lives far from his own, featuring closeted white jocks living in snowy towns.

From New York Times • Feb. 17, 2024

There was something furtive about him and she felt rather than saw that he had just ended a cell phone conversation.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie