Synonyms of shenanigans

shenanigans

noun

plural of shenanigan

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

• mischief
• misconduct
• playfulness
• devilment
• mischievousness
• rascality
• roguishness
• wickedness
• irritation
• devilishness
• devilry
• waggishness
• knavery
• roguery
• impishness
• hob
• exasperation
• diablerie
• misbehavior
• waggery
• tomfoolery
• espièglerie
• buffoonery
• troublemaking
• chicanery
• trickery
• naughtiness
• goings-on
• friskiness
• hanky-panky
• annoyance
• monkeying
• high jinks
• horseplay
• skylarking
• caper
• sportiveness
• roughhousing
• trick
• antic
• practical joke
• diabolicalness
• monkey business
• aggravation
• monkeyshine(s)
• dido

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gravity
• seriousness
• solemnity
• gravitas
• solemnness

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

• tomfoolery
• joking
• buffoonery
• funning
• clowning
• monkeying
• horseplay
• high jinks
• roughhousing
• clownery
• mischief
• skylarking
• playfulness
• foolery
• roughhouse
• slapstick
• monkey business
• sporting
• nonsense
• horsing around
• monkeyshine(s)
• childishness
• trickery
• rowdiness
• silliness
• jesting
• rowdyism
• boisterousness
• rambunctiousness
• foolishness
• clownishness
• rascality
• frivolity
• roguishness
• merrymaking
• revelry
• mischievousness
• prankishness
• frolicking
• devilry
• cavorting
• rumbustiousness
• knavery
• roistering
• romping
• roguery
• waggery
• impishness
• gamboling
• sportiveness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shenanigans

The original cast of the sitcom, which came to focus more and more on Urkel’s shenanigans in its later years, reunited for Entertainment Weekly in September 2017. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Aug. 2026

The irony here is that Singer is returning to his profession while so many ensnared in his application shenanigans never fully got back to theirs. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026

After Mysterio lost a comedy match at WWE SummerSlam, the creative team has to find a way to get him back on track and into more high-profile feuds rather than midcard comedy shenanigans. — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

The wildly popular Instagram page was offline for a hot minute, leaving the general pop pining for videos on the myriad zany happenings in our city, from traffic snarls and celebrity shenanigans to animal encounters and fights outside the club. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026

With Logout’s punk credentials and Margo XS’s keen ear for self-referential, post-hyperpop production, HARDBODY’s hero’s journey is sarcastically relatable, like getting roasted in the group chat for last night’s shenanigans. — Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026

Eight years of multiverse shenanigans and momentum-killing Disney Plus shows have reduced the Marvel Cinematic Universe from the most reliable money-printing machine in film history to a sadly confused shadow of its former self. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 July 2026

Director Jake Kasdan also returns new shenanigans and adventures as the videogame characters navigate the real world. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 July 2026

Expect joint shenanigans from Hiedeman and Williams once their obligations are through on Friday night. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 24 July 2026

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