‘Sneaked’ vs. ‘Snuck’: How to Use ‘Sneaked’ and ‘Snuck’ Properly

“Sneaked” and “snuck” both function as the past tense and past participle form of the verb “sneak.” For much of English language history, only “sneaked” was an acceptable past tense version of “sneak.” Beginning in the late 1800s, the word “snuck” began appearing in both British English and American English texts.

Today, the primary difference between the words comes down to conjugation. “Sneaked” is the regular verb conjugation of the verb “sneak,” and “snuck” is the irregular verb conjugation. Both versions of the verb are appropriate to use in the past tense or past perfect tense.

“Sneaked” can appear as an English verb in both past tense and past perfect tense.

• Past tense: “She sneaked into the kitchen to grab more cookies.”
• Past perfect tense: “He had sneaked outside to see what was going on.”

Much like “sneaked,” the word “snuck” can serve as both the past tense and past participle of the verb “sneak.”

• Past tense: “She snuck up on me and made me scream.”
• Past perfect tense: “He had snuck popcorn into the movie theater, and he munched it loudly throughout the film.”

The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage both list “sneaked” and “snuck” as modern English words. Both appear in standard British and American usage, and both can be heard in English-speaking countries throughout the world—including Canada, New Zealand, Belize, Malaysia, and Australia.

If you’re concerned about using the verb appropriately—particularly in formal writing—use the traditional verb form “sneaked.” While “snuck” is a perfectly acceptable synonym, it is the newer and therefore nonstandard past tense of “sneak.”

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