1
as in mischief
usually shenanigans plural
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hijinks
usually shenanigans plural
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
the street-corner huckster of pirated DVDs had all sorts of shenanigans to keep the cops off of his tail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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 shenanigan
Mixing adult comedy with kid-friendly shenanigans, ghostly mayhem and even a little thoughtful spirituality ensues when four guys protect Manhattan from being toasted by an ancient demon and a kaiju-sized marshmallow guy.
—
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Gravina’s praise for his temperament amid the media glare also left one with the impression that the FIGC president can’t be on social media, where the reels of Gattuso’s press conference shenanigans have guaranteed virality.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Sun Sentinel While the sight of the sport’s biggest prize being filled with Budweiser may not have raised many eyebrows in the corporate offices of the NHL, Tkachuk hinted he had been warned against repeating some of last year’s victory hangover shenanigans.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025
Plus, there are only so many shenanigans F1 will tolerate from one driver trying to finagle the race outcome.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 June 2025
Gravina’s praise for his temperament amid the media glare also left one with the impression that the FIGC president can’t be on social media, where the reels of Gattuso’s press conference shenanigans have guaranteed virality.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Sun Sentinel While the sight of the sport’s biggest prize being filled with Budweiser may not have raised many eyebrows in the corporate offices of the NHL, Tkachuk hinted he had been warned against repeating some of last year’s victory hangover shenanigans.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 18 June 2025
Plus, there are only so many shenanigans F1 will tolerate from one driver trying to finagle the race outcome.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigan
Noun
-
For all the mortal mischief a nuclear weapons facility could whip up, there is very little radiation risk associated with the job of enriching uranium-235 up to the level of 90% purity needed to produce a bomb.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
24 June 2025
-
The suspects could face charges for criminal mischief and felony theft valued at $1 million or more, according to authorities.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Barriers lifted in advance, Mellor and his French Resistance passengers hurtled through at 80mph leaving guards little chance of spotting the night-time ruse.—
Iain Macauley,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
The ruse, Smith suggested in her memoir, was employed successfully on at least one occasion.—
Laurie Gwen Shapiro,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
The response made mention of the allegations against Fleming of misconduct.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2025
-
The county’s voters in March passed Measure A, which granted the supervisors the ability to oust Sheriff Christina Corpus for misconduct.—
Mercury News Editorial,
Mercury News,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Galeotti said these schemes can increase the national deficit and threaten the long-term viability of health care for seniors, individuals with disabilities and other citizens who need these programs.—
Jenna Sundel
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
-
And most recycling schemes are still small-scale, unable to keep up with the sheer volume of cheap and short-use clothing flowing through the system.—
Zoe Bayliss Wong,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Growing up, the de Kooning home became an unofficial meeting ground for creative tomfoolery: Lisa de Kooning was a firm believer in play.—
Alessandra Schade,
Vogue,
7 June 2025
-
Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
One trick to capture slugs is to lay a board down next to a row crop and check the underside in the morning to gather the slugs.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025
-
Truth is, finding universal tips and tricks for keeping your cortisol levels stable first thing in the morning and when leaving the house is tough.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
The other person who spoke in South Carolina, Tim Walz, is a special mixture of extreme buffoonery and a mean spirit, which is a toxic brew.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
-
Certainly hope none of you will be complicit in this buffoonery.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
The action anime feature for everyone who couldn’t get enough of the horseplay in The Two Towers has finally cantered onto Max.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Mike Vrabel’s back And the horseplay is going to stop, apparently.—
Josh Kendall,
The Athletic,
11 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigan. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share