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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of shenanigans
There are also broader sociological changes making the ARR shenanigans possible.
—
Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025
Through some mysticism and timey-wimey shenanigans, the priestess and her eight companions manage to fight another day, but Towa becomes a timeline-jumping specter in the process.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Well, a new Netflix documentary about Charlie Sheen brings that up, as well as all his other infamous shenanigans.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
The duo hatch a revenge plot, and shenanigans ensue.
—PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
But since this is her first time living among humans, naturally, shenanigans ensue.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 11 Sep. 2025
His banter with deadpan Principal Woodman (John Sylvester White) and his loving, eye-rolling wife Julie (Marcia Strassman) brought the series full circle, blending schoolyard shenanigans with heartfelt adult comedy.
—Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
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
Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025
Through some mysticism and timey-wimey shenanigans, the priestess and her eight companions manage to fight another day, but Towa becomes a timeline-jumping specter in the process.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Well, a new Netflix documentary about Charlie Sheen brings that up, as well as all his other infamous shenanigans.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
The duo hatch a revenge plot, and shenanigans ensue.
—PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
But since this is her first time living among humans, naturally, shenanigans ensue.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 11 Sep. 2025
His banter with deadpan Principal Woodman (John Sylvester White) and his loving, eye-rolling wife Julie (Marcia Strassman) brought the series full circle, blending schoolyard shenanigans with heartfelt adult comedy.
—Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigans
Noun
-
Accordingly, the werewolves and vampires generate much of their mischief and mayhem in the Kansas City area.—
Dan Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Backroom deals were struck between politicians and judges, and the upstairs once hosted a fair share of gambling and general mischief.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Ottawa’s best players were out of sync, took too many penalties and were literally left battered and bloody after fights and misconduct penalties.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Previous stars include Curtiss Cook, who left after season 6, Ntare Mwine, who left after season 3, and original series star Jason Mitchell, who was dropped from The Chi in 2019 amid misconduct allegations.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Only an Aries, like Lily, can take Barney’s jabs in a joking way.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
During Full House, Sweetin said the child actors would often come across as more professional than their adult counterparts amid all the tomfoolery.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Rite of passage or midnight tomfoolery?—
Jake Allen,
IndyStar,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Finally, after plenty of clowning, Taylor Swift has revealed that her 12th album is on the way, titled The Life of a Showgirl.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
13 Aug. 2025
-
This is a work in which the slapstick clowning and the tricky verbal non sequiturs should be merely the surface for roiling undercurrents of anguish, futility, despair and fear.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigans. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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