insidiously
insidiously — adverb
1. causing harm little by little without being noticed, so that by the time the pro
causing harm little by little without being noticed, so that by the time the problem is found, the damage is already serious
The illness spread insidiously through the village before anyone noticed the danger.
collocation: spread insidiously
Water had damaged the wall insidiously for years before Yael noticed the crack.
collocation: damaged + insidiously + time span
Over several months, doubt spread insidiously through the team after repeated broken promises.
The rumor that Ada had been fired unjustly spread insidiously through the Bayshore office.
Shirin's trust in the company broke down insidiously after several small lies.
- stealthily
more about moving quietly to avoid being seen; describes physical actions rather than processes
- surreptitiously
more about doing something secretly because it is not allowed or would be disapproved of
- imperceptibly
more about change so gradual it cannot be noticed at all; neutral, not necessarily harmful
- subtly
more about something delicate, indirect, or not obvious; not necessarily harmful
用法筆記
Typically modifies verbs describing slow negative processes: spread, creep, grow, undermine, wear down. The subject is usually something harmful (a disease, an idea, a feeling), not a person carrying out a single hidden act.