1
as in mischief
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 tomfoolery
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shenanigans
What had started as typical college-age shenanigans had morphed into regularly overindulging at professional happy hours, and eventually into an all-day urge to drink.
—
Lev Facher, STAT, 14 May 2026
There are easy dots to connect between Pierzynski and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing, two men who don’t have much of a relationship but now occupy a similar space as catchers who have developed something of a reputation for shenanigans.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 8 May 2026
Yes, there's action, romance, and the typical MCU superhero shenanigans every fan expects, but the film has as much soul and curiosity about its characters and world as your average A24 production.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 6 May 2026
But there is also a world of more shadowy techniques – a whole history of hacking shenanigans going back nearly a century.
—Willa Rubin, NPR, 1 May 2026
Fans sitting in this section get a front-row seat to Gritty’s infamous skits and silly shenanigans throughout the game.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
What are the Flyers without the crazy-eyed mascot that is always getting up to some shenanigans — like tossing a plush version of his opponents' mascot down the stadium stairs mid-game.
—Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
That means Hawkins Lab may get up to some minor shenanigans, and the Upside Down may harbor peculiar creatures — one of which props up the first season’s central mystery about a hostile spore-spreading species — but none of them can be any more nefarious or terrifying than what popped up before.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026
After the whistle After all the shenanigans in Game 2 and across the league’s playoffs series in general, NHL officials addressed the post-whistle battles with the players Thursday morning.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Lev Facher, STAT, 14 May 2026
There are easy dots to connect between Pierzynski and Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing, two men who don’t have much of a relationship but now occupy a similar space as catchers who have developed something of a reputation for shenanigans.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 8 May 2026
Yes, there's action, romance, and the typical MCU superhero shenanigans every fan expects, but the film has as much soul and curiosity about its characters and world as your average A24 production.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 6 May 2026
But there is also a world of more shadowy techniques – a whole history of hacking shenanigans going back nearly a century.
—Willa Rubin, NPR, 1 May 2026
Fans sitting in this section get a front-row seat to Gritty’s infamous skits and silly shenanigans throughout the game.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
What are the Flyers without the crazy-eyed mascot that is always getting up to some shenanigans — like tossing a plush version of his opponents' mascot down the stadium stairs mid-game.
—Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
That means Hawkins Lab may get up to some minor shenanigans, and the Upside Down may harbor peculiar creatures — one of which props up the first season’s central mystery about a hostile spore-spreading species — but none of them can be any more nefarious or terrifying than what popped up before.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026
After the whistle After all the shenanigans in Game 2 and across the league’s playoffs series in general, NHL officials addressed the post-whistle battles with the players Thursday morning.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigans
Noun
-
Mom was hit with a felony charge of criminal mischief and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Schuman now faces a felony count of robbery by sudden snatching in addition to three misdemeanors — one count of battery, one count of petit theft and one count of criminal mischief, court records show.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The Jazz are 15-35, which puts them at the sixth pick if zero lottery-ball tomfoolery happens.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The committee has established a special investigative subcommittee to examine whether Mills engaged in conduct that could include improper relationships, financial misconduct, or abuse of his official position.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
11 May 2026
-
In the months that followed, former students began filing lawsuits alleging abuse and misconduct at the program.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 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
-
The clowning might be a little too effortful.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After France’s 4-3 victory against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, horseplay between the players at the team hotel culminated in back-up centre-back Adil Rami setting off a fire extinguisher in the early hours of the morning.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Once, before the stabbing, Malik chased Yahkeim with a knife during horseplay.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
The boys challenge each other to throw heavy objects, which leads to intense roughhousing.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The actor shared rare photos of the teen with his younger siblings, getting it in at the gym, hiking, and roughhousing.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigans. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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