Furtive Glance and Behaviour: Meaning and Sentence Practice
Furtive (adjective). done in a secretive way, often to avoid being noticed.
Example: He took a furtive glance at the wrapped gift when nobody was looking.
Pronunciation guide: FUR-tiv. Capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Explore the usage · Try the three-question quiz · Keep learning
What is a furtive glance?
A furtive glance is a quick, secretive look made while trying not to attract attention. “She glanced at the clock” simply reports a look. “She cast a furtive glance at the clock” suggests she did not want someone to notice her checking the time.
Read our full furtive meaning guide for the wider definition. Here, practise the common phrases and the impression they create.
Furtive in sentences
- During the surprise-party preparations, Sam made a furtive check of the guest list.
- He gave the unopened envelope a furtive glance.
- The character’s furtive movements made the narrator curious.
- She looked furtively towards the door before whispering the news.
- They exchanged furtive smiles while trying not to reveal the surprise.
These examples involve concealment, but not necessarily wrongdoing. A furtive movement can make an observer suspicious without proving that the person has done anything wrong.
Furtive vs private and discreet
Private means intended for a limited audience or kept away from public attention. A private conversation need not look secretive or nervous.
Discreet often suggests tactful care not to embarrass someone or reveal sensitive information. Furtive emphasises an attempt to escape notice and can suggest unease or suspicion.
Compare “They had a private discussion in the office” with “They exchanged furtive whispers behind the curtain.” The second creates a noticeably secretive atmosphere. Choose it only when that is the impression you want.
Furtive and furtively
Furtive modifies a noun: a furtive look, gesture, smile or movement. Furtively modifies an action: “He checked the note furtively.”
To improve a scene, show the behaviour instead of merely adding the label. “She checked the message furtively, keeping the screen turned away from her friends” explains what made the action secretive. Avoid attaching the word to a person merely because they are quiet or shy.
Practise furtive: three quick questions
Try each question before opening its answer. If a question asks you to write a sentence, your own correct example is welcome.
Question 1
Does a furtive glance prove that someone is guilty of wrongdoing?
Show answer 1 and explanation
No. It suggests an attempt to avoid notice. The reason could be innocent, such as keeping a surprise secret.
Question 2
Complete the sentence: “He ___ checked the clock.” Furtive or furtively?
Show answer 2 and explanation
Furtively. The adverb modifies checked. Use the adjective in “He gave the clock a furtive glance.”
Question 3
You mean a conversation was for two people only, without suggesting suspicious behaviour. Which is clearer: private or furtive?
Show answer 3 and explanation
Private is clearer. Furtive would add a suggestion that the speakers were trying to evade notice.
Keep learning
Watch How to Pronounce Furtive by Pronunciation Guide on YouTube.
Compare these words next: Boisterous meaning and practice and Hubris meaning and practice.
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Dictionary reference: Merriam-Webster: Furtive. The examples and practice questions on this page are written for English Skill Studio.
FROM READING TO PRACTICE
Practise this topic
Build on this article with a connected lesson. Explore the explanation, try the examples, and check what you remember.
Mendacious
Compare secrecy with mendacious behaviour, which specifically involves dishonesty.
Idiom lessonLet the cat out of the bag
Practise an expression for revealing a secret.
Grammar lessonAdjectives – Types, Order, Comparisons
Practise where adjectives go when describing people, things or situations with “furtive”.
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