On the sly is an idiom that means to do something secretly or in a furtive manner. There are different synonyms for on the sly, such as covertly, stealthily, clandestinely, surreptitiously, confidentially or privately. All these words are used to describe actions that are done discreetly and out of sight from others. Covertly suggests an action that is hidden or concealed, while stealthily implies moving secretly or avoiding detection. Clandestinely and surreptitiously both suggest a sense of secrecy or stealth, while confidentially and privately imply that something is kept in strict confidence or shared only with a select few individuals.