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 joking
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
Subway shenanigans continued in South Brooklyn Sunday, with officials seeking two youths caught having snuck into the subterranean Church Ave.
—
Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 1 June 2026
Guessing passwords come with a certain level of shenanigan charm, but things take a decidedly darker and more perilous turn when Angie begins texting Merril’s ex Raquel (Alycia Adame).
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
If governments require airlines to offer a cash refund and only give vouchers on request, that would stop some (but not all) of the shenanigans.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 24 May 2026
At first, Tyson couldn't recall any shenanigans, but Von's team had done its deep research on Iron Mike and knew there was a Brad Pitt connection.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 1 June 2026
Guessing passwords come with a certain level of shenanigan charm, but things take a decidedly darker and more perilous turn when Angie begins texting Merril’s ex Raquel (Alycia Adame).
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
If governments require airlines to offer a cash refund and only give vouchers on request, that would stop some (but not all) of the shenanigans.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 24 May 2026
At first, Tyson couldn't recall any shenanigans, but Von's team had done its deep research on Iron Mike and knew there was a Brad Pitt connection.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigan
Noun
-
Court records show Varley was ultimately charged with criminal mischief and two counts of battery.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2026
-
The magic and mischief of Maradona The quality of Diego Maradona’s overall performance at the 1986 World Cup remains without parallel in the competition’s history.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Sometimes a playful comment, an unexpected reply or a joking callout between brands takes on a life of its own online.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Olive’s fake-dating ruse stems from wanting to let her best friend Anh (Marsh) date her crush Jeremy (Duvernay).—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
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Adolf Hitler wasn’t completely fooled, and about four million mines were planted on the beaches, but the ruse worked well enough that, even as the landings got underway, some German commanders doubted Normandy was the main attack.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
No misconduct was issued to inmates during the incident in question, and no inmate faced discipline for refusing the assignment, the agency added.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
Even without independent investigative authority, the commission has spent the past few years reviewing a backlog of internal affairs cases, commissioning an outside audit of police misconduct investigations and weighing in on department policies.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The latest tomfoolery consisted of a posting on Twitter/X last week that provided a picture of a genuine Monet painting, and the picture was labeled as supposedly being AI-generated.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Warm temperatures should keep the snow from causing too much traffic tomfoolery on Tuesday, but by the evening, roads are likely to turn slick, Danielson said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Industrial incompatibilities ultimately sank the project at the heart of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) scheme, the much-vaunted political lynchpin of Franco-German military cooperation.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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Suhail Kwatra was indicted by the Suffolk DA’s office on a felony charge for larceny over $1,200 by single scheme, according to court records out of Suffolk Superior Court.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Folarin Balogun is now the second US player to score more than once in a World Cup match, after Bert Patenaude – who happened to score the World Cup’s first-ever hat-trick in the inaugural 1930 edition … against Paraguay, so less.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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These chic wide-leg trousers will do just the trick, made of an ultra-soft and airy fabric ideal for looking polished and cool on warm-weather travels.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigan. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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