insidiously

Meaning

In a manner that proceeds in a gradual, subtle way but with very harmful effects.

Examples

• The disease progressed insidiously, showing no symptoms until it was already in an advanced stage.
• Political corruption began to work insidiously through the local government, slowly eroding public trust over several years.

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈsɪdiəsli/

Synonyms of insidiously

Words with a similar meaning to insidiously:

• slyly
• stealthily
• treacherously
• perniciously