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
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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
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Recent Examples of shenanigan
How that ratio of truth to horse manure will manifest in the shenanigans of season two is anyone’s guess.
—
Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
The child star, who had previously made TV appearances and had a supporting part in 1989's Uncle Buck, nabbed the starring role in the movie playing Kevin McCallister, a young boy who is accidentally left home alone by his family and faces the ensuing shenanigans of his solo time.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The youngest boy Benny Walter (Lennix James) participated in these shenanigans, as did Jordan (Dean Petriw), who always has his video camera on him to capture documentary-worthy moments like that prank, which stemmed from a bet between Isaac and Cole.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
Sure, Outlander or Blood of My Blood could pull some twisty time-travel shenanigans and make this happen, but this universe isn’t exactly known for doling out neat and tidy happily ever afters.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
The child star, who had previously made TV appearances and had a supporting part in 1989's Uncle Buck, nabbed the starring role in the movie playing Kevin McCallister, a young boy who is accidentally left home alone by his family and faces the ensuing shenanigans of his solo time.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The youngest boy Benny Walter (Lennix James) participated in these shenanigans, as did Jordan (Dean Petriw), who always has his video camera on him to capture documentary-worthy moments like that prank, which stemmed from a bet between Isaac and Cole.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
Sure, Outlander or Blood of My Blood could pull some twisty time-travel shenanigans and make this happen, but this universe isn’t exactly known for doling out neat and tidy happily ever afters.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigan
Noun
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Wednesday, of course, is always up to some mischief, bringing Enid in with her.—
Hedy Phillips,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Expecting dull days and strict rules, the boy instead stumbles into a world of delightful chaos and imagination – where outrageous stories are spun, and a world of wonder, memory, and mischief unfolds.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Police said McGriff employed the ruse to access the couple's Queens residence and then set it ablaze.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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McGriff allegedly tried the ruse at a nearby house first but was turned away, Tisch said.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Paxton’s history of misconduct is years in the making.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Paragon was linked to alleged misconduct in Europe after WhatsApp reported that Italian journalists and civil society members had been targeted with its technology.—
Vas Panagiotopoulos,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Roberts and Robinson, who federal prosecutors say conducted the scheme over the course of five years, between 2018 and 2023, allegedly stole $900,000 from the court system.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Sep. 2025
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Just look at the offense — more weapons, better scheme, more support.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Rite of passage or midnight tomfoolery?—
Jake Allen,
IndyStar,
10 Sep. 2025
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Last year, in response to some political parodies that used images created by artificial intelligence, including one that pilloried Vice President Kamala Harris, the Legislature passed and Newsom signed two measures to outlaw such tomfoolery.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Thus, Last Rites tries a new trick, with the doll growing in size and chasing Judy down a hallway, in a sequence that is strangely reminiscent of Five Nights At Freddy's.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Grandma's favorite time-saving trick is to rely on the trusty the slow-cooker to make sweet, tender onions that require little to no stirring.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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He’s been tinkering with this messaging on and off since damn near the start of the century, when his criticism of the genre shifted from the power-holding executives (both white and Black) of the music industry who were profiting off buffoonery, a la Bamboozled, to rap music itself.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigan. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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