shenanigan

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noun she·nan·i·gan \shə-ˈna-ni-gən\

Definition of shenanigan

1 : a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
2a : tricky or questionable practices or conduct —usually used in pluralb : high-spirited or mischievous activity —usually used in plural

shenanigan was our Word of the Day on 04/01/2008. Hear the podcast!

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 of shenanigan from the Web

His shenanigans often irked players — in 1979 Yankees outfielder Lou Piniella threw his glove and screamed at the cantankerous chicken on the way out to his defensive position during a loss in Seattle — and paved the way for copycats.

— ap, USA TODAY, "Mr. Met, the latest mischievous mascot", 1 June 2017
The series, penned by Everybody Hates Chris writer Aeysha Carr, follows the day-to-day life and nighttime shenanigans of working in a recording studio.

— latifah muhammad, Billboard, "Kevin Hart and T.I. to Executive Produce Scripted Comedy Series For Showtime", 31 May 2017
Teams are issued warnings that the next purpose pitch will lead to an ejection, and the shenanigans typically stop.

— paul sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "Controversial umpire Joe West closing in on historic baseball milestone", 27 May 2017
Get a room with a balcony that overlooks all the wild shenanigans or a less rowdy view overlooking the gorgeous courtyard.

— eric bowman, Fox News, "The best Memorial Day weekend getaways across the US", 26 May 2017
Fingers-crossed that this means similar shenanigans from the two on stage tonight.

— tracy brown, latimes.com, "Emma Stone has been using the same glam squad for at least 7 years", 26 Feb. 2017
Now Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel is preparing to take his feuding shenanigans with Oscar winner Matt Damon to the next level.

— sonaiya kelley, latimes.com, "Even Ava DuVernay's gown is making a statement tonight", 26 Feb. 2017
Whether these shenanigans actually work is another question.

— andrew beaton, WSJ, "College-Football Bowl Season: When the Shenanigans Begin", 14 Dec. 2016
Most seductive are the ribald, cartoonish, exquisitely colored paintings depicting shenanigans that frequently include women in bloomers, or less.

— roberta smith, randy kennedy and ted loos, New York Times, "CORNELIA PARKER ‘TRANSITIONAL OBJECT (PSYCHOBARN)’ SCARF", 24 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shenanigan'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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 use of the word in print appeared in the April 25, 1855, issue of San Francisco's Town Talk. 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").