CHICANERIES Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

chicanery

noun

shi-ˈkān-rē

Definition of chicanery

as in deception

the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end that candidate only won the election through chicanery

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of chicanery Not many people, however, concluded that financial chicanery at executive level should be used as a stick with which to beat the players and coaches who had won those trophies over the years in question. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 21 May 2026 There was some physicality – McAvoy absolutely buried Peyton Krebs off the hop – but little post-whistle chicanery. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 Just typical power-grabbing Idaho lawmaker chicanery, right? — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 16 Apr. 2026 In light of the chicanery that happens in the episode, the phrase also suggests a bit of victim-blaming for the harvesting of personal data. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chicanery

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chicanery

Noun

Nefarious actors have long been keen to fill the gap through what international law describes as coercion, deception and abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability.

— Robert P. George, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026
The suspect, identified as 58-year-old Zishan Zeng, was charged with two counts of elder exploitation and two counts of theft by deception.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of deception

Noun

The killings and his six-week trial in 2023 captivated the true crime world with a mix of treachery, corruption, money, power and Southern accents.

— Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
The killings of Murdaugh’s wife and son and his subsequent six-week trial captivated the true crime world with a mix of treachery, corruption, money, power and Southern accents.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of treachery

Noun

The series unpacks the subterfuge and secrecy required to record the interviews and how Diana and Colthurst were on high alert while making the recordings, Barefield explained.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
This subterfuge makes sense, since what these people reveal implicates their superiors.

— Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of subterfuge

Noun

International skullduggery in this case concerned the retrieving of two nuclear warheads from a treacherous Caribbean dictatorship.

— Ed Olmstead, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
There are no federal protections against this skullduggery, and only 10 states have enacted dedicated statutes to combat the problem, according to Equity Protect.

— Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of skulduggery

Noun

Perhaps that’s why the studio’s new reliance upon computer trickery — courtesy of a collaboration with Wētā FX — feels more like more of a symptom of Prue’s crisis than part of the solution to it.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2026
Thursday is The New York Times’s favorite day of the week to publish crosswords with twists, surprises or extra layers of trickery to puzzle over.

— Sean McGowan, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of trickery

Noun

Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.

— Sue Brightman, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025

Definition of deceptiveness

Noun

But the hamstring injury to the star outside linebacker is severe enough that Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales didn’t entertain such gamesmanship.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Whatever higher purpose goes along with espionage work tends to be lost in the gamesmanship and cynicism that seems to come with the territory.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of gamesmanship

Noun

The term seems to imply a mastery of all the resources of a form, displayed in a surprising context without self-conscious artfulness.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
No need to get bogged down in questions about provenance, artfulness, long-form storytelling, or even metaphors.

— Robin Givhan, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of artfulness

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chicaned

chicanery

chicanes

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“Chicanery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chicanery. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of chicanery

noun

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