sneaky link
/ˈsniː.ki lɪŋk/
CommonSomeone you secretly meet up with for a hookup or romantic encounter.
Can be casual or semi-romantic. The secrecy is the defining feature, not just the hookup itself.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | can't come out tonight, got a sneaky link at 11 | Turning down plans because of a secret late-night meetup. | x, 2022 |
| 02 | nobody knows about my sneaky link and that's how i like it | Intentionally keeping the arrangement private. | tiktok, 2022 |
| 03 | my sneaky link just followed me on instagram. now what | The secret arrangement is becoming visible to others. | x, 2023 |
| 04 | she called me her sneaky link and i thought we were getting serious | Realizing the other person sees the relationship as purely secret and casual. |
Use it when
- Referring to a person you're secretly seeing.
- Describing a late-night meetup you're not telling people about.
- Talking about an unofficial arrangement that isn't public.
Do not use it when
- You're in an official relationship with the person.Use “partner” instead.
- The meetup isn't romantic or sexual.
Variations and related forms
Sneaky link vs situationship
sneaky link
A sneaky link is defined by secrecy. The arrangement is hidden from others.
VS
situationship
A situationship can be public. The ambiguity is about labels, not visibility.
Origin and context
Popularized in 2021 through a viral HXLLYWOOD song called 'Sneaky Link'. The phrase spread rapidly on TikTok and became standard in online dating vocabulary.
- First seen
- 2021
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/sneaky-linkUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0