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 hijinks
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp
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Recent Examples of shenanigans
The financial shenanigans carried out by a single employee went undiscovered for nearly three years – where were the company’s auditors or the board’s audit committee?
—
Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
The New Age After more than a year of courtroom shenanigans, the YSL trial finally ends.
—Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
This is a game where the margin of error is not big enough for shenanigans like that.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 28 Dec. 2024
And our definition of social media was to converse about the over-the-top shenanigans of the fictional Ewing, Channing and Carrington clans at the proverbial office watercooler.
—Marc Berman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.
—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Hilarious cameos by everyone from Miley Cyrus to Ilana Glazer will keep you on your toes during the shenanigans in this 2015 comedy.
—Lydia Price, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024
In fact, some of the funniest Scranton branch shenanigans come courtesy of the Party Planning Committee and itsDunder Mifflin Christmas party.
—Aurelie Corinthios, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
The 2005 episode centers around the shenanigans that ensue when Adams’s character, Katy, shows up to the Dunder Mifflin office trying to sell knock-off purses and the show’s male characters all vie for her attention.
—John Russell, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
The New Age After more than a year of courtroom shenanigans, the YSL trial finally ends.
—Rob Marriott, VIBE.com, 30 Dec. 2024
This is a game where the margin of error is not big enough for shenanigans like that.
—Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 28 Dec. 2024
And our definition of social media was to converse about the over-the-top shenanigans of the fictional Ewing, Channing and Carrington clans at the proverbial office watercooler.
—Marc Berman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans.
—Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Hilarious cameos by everyone from Miley Cyrus to Ilana Glazer will keep you on your toes during the shenanigans in this 2015 comedy.
—Lydia Price, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024
In fact, some of the funniest Scranton branch shenanigans come courtesy of the Party Planning Committee and itsDunder Mifflin Christmas party.
—Aurelie Corinthios, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
The 2005 episode centers around the shenanigans that ensue when Adams’s character, Katy, shows up to the Dunder Mifflin office trying to sell knock-off purses and the show’s male characters all vie for her attention.
—John Russell, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigans
Noun
-
But when temptation stirs and hearts wander, the whole town gets caught up in a swirl of romance, mischief and melody.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
14 Aug. 2025
-
But when temptation stirs and hearts wander, the whole town gets caught up in a swirl of romance, mischief, and melody.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The oversight group also submitted a complaint to the Office of Congressional Conduct, which until this year was called the Office of Congressional Ethics, the independent entity that reviews allegations of misconduct against House members and staff.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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Yet they are being used in a context wherein being judged guilty carries quite significant consequences—suspension and expulsion are on the cards if one is convicted of academic misconduct.—
Christian Perry,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
That indicates either a profound lack of creativity or intense postproduction tomfoolery.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 May 2025
-
Your first thought would be that certainly the LLM won’t fall for this kind of tomfoolery.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
Stewart’s switch from his usual snark to imitate Colbert’s buffoonery proved how spiteful and irreligious political humor has become since the left’s worship of Barack Obama and subsequent persecution of President Trump.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 July 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigans. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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