shenanigan
noun
she·nan·i·gan
shə-ˈna-ni-gən 
1
a
: activity or behavior that is not honest or proper : deceptive or questionable practices or conduct
—usually used in plural
They were engaged in financial/political shenanigans.
… takes attention away from the shenanigans of corporate executives …—
Anthony Lewis
Anthony Lewis
b
: high-spirited or mischievous activity
—usually used in plural
students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school
But this is just a taste of all the shenanigans that went down.—Allie Gemmill
Allie Gemmill2
old-fashioned
: a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
Did you know?
The history of shenanigan is as tricky and mischievous as its meaning. Etymologists have some theories about its origins, but no one has been able to prove them. All we can say for certain is that the earliest known uses of the word in print appeared in the mid-1800s. Although the "underhanded trick" sense of the word is oldest, the most common senses in use now are "tricky or questionable practices" (as in "political shenanigans") and "high-spirited behavior" (as in "youthful shenanigans").
Examples of shenanigan in a Sentence
students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school
an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp
Recent Examples on the Web
Hilarious cameos by everyone from Miley Cyrus to Tracy Morgan will keep you on your toes during the shenanigans in this 2015 comedy — think The Hangover meets Christmas.
—Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
The plots were full of shenanigans.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 22 Dec. 2025
So just to be critical or even open to suspicion of hanky-panky or shenanigans around vaccination is immediately shut down by The New York Times or anybody.
—David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
SpongeBob and his Bikini Bottom friends are still up to their light-hearted shenanigans, but the movie also doesn’t shy away from lessons on finding bravery and fortitude.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
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Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
The plots were full of shenanigans.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 22 Dec. 2025
So just to be critical or even open to suspicion of hanky-panky or shenanigans around vaccination is immediately shut down by The New York Times or anybody.
—David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025
SpongeBob and his Bikini Bottom friends are still up to their light-hearted shenanigans, but the movie also doesn’t shy away from lessons on finding bravery and fortitude.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shenanigan. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.
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