underhanded

1 of 2

adverb

un·​der·​hand·​ed ˌən-dər-ˈhan-dəd 

: underhand

… flipped the ball to him underhanded.

—W. P. Kinsella

underhanded

2 of 2

adjective

: marked by secrecy, chicanery, and deception : not honest and aboveboard : sly

an underhanded attempt to gain power

underhandedly adverb

underhandedness noun

Synonyms of underhanded

Adjective

• deceptive
• fraudulent
• shady
• crooked
• dishonest

Choose the Right Synonym for underhanded

secret, covert, stealthy, furtive, clandestine, surreptitious, underhanded mean done without attracting observation.

secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Examples of underhanded in a Sentence

Adjective

the commercial is a part of an underhanded PR campaign to whitewash the company's environmental record

an underhanded attempt at infiltrating the other party's headquarters

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Norma is contrasted by her narcissistic, foulmouthed, crash-and-burn sister, Wanda, who has chosen Norma’s house as a rendezvous point with an old boyfriend … against Norma’s wishes, and for very underhanded reasons. —Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Both players entertained the crowd, hitting occasional underhanded serves and between-the-legs winners, and Tiafoe sported a Charlotte Hornets jersey for the match. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025

The exchange also constituted a bit of underhanded score-settling, as Franklin acknowledged. —Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025

In May 1961, Welch alleged that a CBS reporter had used underhanded tactics to interview him against his wishes, resulting in footage that made the Birch leader look cagey and defensive. —Time, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1823, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1782, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for underhanded

• countermanded
• evenhanded
• reprimanded
• backhanded
• commanded
• demanded
• disbanded
• expanded
• misbranded
• remanded
• unbranded
• banded

Kids Definition

underhanded

adjective or adverb

un·​der·​hand·​ed

ˌən-dər-ˈhan-dəd

: underhand entry 1, underhand entry 2 sense 1

underhandedly adverb

underhandedness noun