skulduggery

noun

skul·dug·gery ˌskəl-ˈdə-g(ə-)rē

ˈskəl-ˌdə-

variants or skullduggery

plural skulduggeries or skullduggeries

Synonyms of skulduggery next

: underhanded or unscrupulous behavior

also : a devious device or trick

Did you know?

Skulduggery, which can also be spelled "skullduggery," was first documented in the mid-19th century spelled as "scull-duggery." Etymologists aren't sure exactly how the word arrived in English, but they do not believe it has anything to do with skulls. It is possibly derived from the now-very-rare "sculduddery," a term once used to refer to gross or lewd conduct, but unfortunately the origins of that word are also unknown.

Example Sentences

tales of espionage and skulduggery the company's apparently healthy bottom line was merely an illusion, the result of years of accounting skulduggery

Recent Examples on the Web But in this case, it could also be seen as a slap to Representative Peter Meijer, the incumbent in the Grand Rapids-area district who braved blowback from his own party over his vote to impeach Trump and is now fighting skulduggery from the right and the left. —

BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2022 But in this case, it could also be seen as a slap to Representative Peter Meijer, the incumbent in the Grand Rapids-area district who braved blowback from his own party over his vote to impeach Mr. Trump and is now fighting skulduggery from the right and the left. —

Jonathan Weisman, New York Times, 26 July 2022 Instead, Pez Outlaw goes for a tale of sugar-fueled, globetrotting skulduggery in which the stakes are exclusively personal. —

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2022 The contention goes stronger than ever with so many suspicions of skulduggery bolstered by sworn affidavits from those claiming to have witnessed just that during their election assignments on Election Day. —

Mike Masterson, Arkansas Online, 15 Nov. 2020 The case of the grandma apprehended by federal agents in a Riverside County Denny's with a moonrock paperweight, explored at length in an AP exclusive , is a fitting entry in this pantheon of interplanetary skulduggery. —

Veronique Greenwood, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2011 The courtroom scenes remain gratifyingly sharp, and the skulduggery levels reach maximum impact. —

Sarah Weinman, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2022 The arsenic levels were similar to those found in hair samples from his wife and child--suggesting mundane arsenic sources (the stuff appeared in everything from makeup to tonics) rather than skulduggery. —

Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2011 Two years later, Henry James published The Aspern Papers, the longest of his many tales of biographical skulduggery. —

Christopher Tayler, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skulduggery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.