"Snuck" is the informal American English past tense of "sneak"; "sneaked" is the traditional correct form in both varieties.
Informal simple past and past participle of "sneak" in American English. Emerged as a colloquial form in the 19th century and is now so common in AmE that many dictionaries list it as standard. Does not exist in formal British English.
The kids snuck downstairs at midnight to see if Santa had left any presents.
He snuck a piece of cake when nobody was looking.
She snuck out of the meeting early to catch her flight.
Regular and formal simple past and past participle of "sneak" in both varieties. It is the only accepted form in British English and the preferred form in formal writing in any variety.
The spy sneaked past the guards and reached the control room undetected.
He sneaked a look at the answers when the teacher turned away.
They sneaked backstage after the concert and met the entire band.
Common mistake
In British English, using "snuck" sounds extremely informal or even incorrect. In formal American writing (academic, journalism, legal documents), "sneaked" is still the preferred form. In everyday American conversation, "snuck" is completely normal and nobody will question it. Choose based on register and audience.
Trick to remember it
Context rule: everyday American conversation = "snuck" is completely natural. Formal writing or British English = always use "sneaked". "Snuck" follows the pattern of "stuck/stuck" (stick), "struck/struck" (strike), "snuck/snuck" (sneak) — an analogical irregularization that American English adopted colloquially.
Quick rule
Snuck = informal AmE (everyday conversation). Sneaked = formal and BrE (academic writing, journalism, British English).
Did you know?
"Snuck" is first documented in American dialects around 1887. For over a century, style guides flagged it as incorrect. But popular usage won: today Merriam-Webster, the American Heritage Dictionary, and The Chicago Manual of Style accept "snuck" as informal standard in American English. It is a perfect example of how colloquial usage changes the standard over time.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
In a formal academic paper about espionage tactics: "The agent _____ into the facility undetected."
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
In casual conversation: "I totally _____ a slice of pizza before dinner and it was delicious."
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Snuck = informal AmE (everyday conversation). Sneaked = formal and BrE (academic writing, journalism, British English).
In British English, using "snuck" sounds extremely informal or even incorrect. In formal American writing (academic, journalism, legal documents), "sneaked" is still the preferred form. In everyday American conversation, "snuck" is completely normal and nobody will question it. Choose based on register and audience.
Context rule: everyday American conversation = "snuck" is completely natural. Formal writing or British English = always use "sneaked". "Snuck" follows the pattern of "stuck/stuck" (stick), "struck/struck" (strike), "snuck/snuck" (sneak) — an analogical irregularization that American English adopted colloquially.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy