Which one is correct, snuck or sneaked? Actually, both are correct because they are acceptable past and past participle forms of the verb sneak.
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What Is Sneaked?
Sneak is a regular verb, meaning that to create its past tense form, you simply add the suffix –ed. Sneaked is thus the standard past tense form of sneak. It is also the past participle form.
As a verb, sneak means to act, move, or do something in a stealthy manner, often with the intent to avoid being noticed. The word came about in the late 1500s. Etymologists think it was related to the now-obsolete word snike, which meant “to creep.”
Example sentences:
- The naughty child sneaked an extra cookie into his lunchbox.
- She sneaked out a few minutes early to avoid traffic.
- Jill sneaked her essay in.
- I sneaked some snacks. Want some?
- He sneaked through the crawlspace.
- I sneaked a little catnap in at work yesterday; it was so refreshing!
- We sneaked into the off-limits room to see what the big deal was.
- They sneaked a look at the display before it opened to the public.
What Is Snuck?
Snuck and sneaked have the same meaning. And, as mentioned earlier, both are acceptable past and past participles of sneak. Since there is a spelling change rather than the simple addition of -d or -ed, snuck is an irregular verb.
Example sentences:
- The cat snuck into the open window.
- The actor snuck out of the back exit to get away from the media.
- We snuck some quiet time into our very busy day.
- The pigeon snuck through the door.
- He snuck into the backdoor.
- The burglar snuck into the empty house without anyone seeing.
- The unsuspecting mouse snuck into the jar.
Which One Should You Use?
Although sneaked is the original form, snuck has become so common that it’s considered standard as well. Despite its origin in North America, you’ll also see/hear it in the UK and Australia. However, it’s more common in the United States and Canada.
When and How to Use Snuck or Sneaked?
You can use snuck or sneaked as a transitive verb (has an object). Example: We snuck our own candy into the movie theater.
Each one can also be an intransitive verb. Example: She snuck into her sister’s room to peek at her diary.
Since snuck is no longer considered slang, informal, or wrong, you can use it in any situation. However, you might want to use sneaked if your audience is a stickler about grammar. A good example of such a person might be an English teacher or professor.
Important note: Snucked is not a real word.
Final Thoughts
We hope that the next time you are stuck between snuck or sneaked, you already know that both are correct and mean the same thing. Remember, although sneaked was the original form, snuck has become widespread to the point of almost always being equally acceptable.
