variants
or skullduggery
as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
the company's apparently healthy bottom line was merely an illusion, the result of years of accounting skulduggery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skulduggery
Modern network security naturally aims to prevent this kind of skullduggery.
—
PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2025
From encounters with mermaids, the devil and even Robin Hood to themes of superstition and skulduggery, these short tales are perfect escapism to dip in and out of during your summer vacation.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
This year the skulduggery began early and has been raging for week.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Obviously, such a system is rife with uncertainty, and the history of the process is full of skulduggery, both on the club and player side.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2025
From encounters with mermaids, the devil and even Robin Hood to themes of superstition and skulduggery, these short tales are perfect escapism to dip in and out of during your summer vacation.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
This year the skulduggery began early and has been raging for week.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Obviously, such a system is rife with uncertainty, and the history of the process is full of skulduggery, both on the club and player side.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulduggery
Noun
-
Always one step ahead of the police, Fantomas is a master of deception and chaos.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The three-part docuseries that premiered this week chronicles how Rasmussen discovered Johnson’s deceptions and finally left him, only to be harassed by her ex after their divorce.—
Addie Morfoot,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Tarabay leads the cast as the titular Ashur, now thriving after his treachery.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Nov. 2025
-
And when the surviving crew interrogates the android Ash about his treachery, the book has him pretty much spill the space beans.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The tale away from the playing field in recent years has been dizzying, one of soaring costs and debts, of quirks and chicanery unseen elsewhere.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Another recurring feature of the biggest asset booms is outright chicanery, such as fraudulent accounting, the marketing of worthless securities, and plain old stealing.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The story then unfolded through the subterfuge of the princess and the care of Morton.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Unlike the confrontational drudgery of couples therapy — and aiming to avoid the confrontational finality of divorce — this approach relies on subterfuge.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The trickery -- a direct snap in the second quarter to RJ Harvey -- was working.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The fun bit of trickery worked as Hunt gained 3 yards and got the first down.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement Republicans, especially outside the MAGAverse, have found mixed views of this gamesmanship.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
-
No half measures, and no gamesmanship.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The outcome could set a precedent for how far courts can go in easing logistical burdens on defendants in sensitive-information cases without compromising government secrecy.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Even in a strange story like this, some of the classic Cheney traits, such as secrecy, were on display.—
Don Gonyea,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skulduggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulduggery. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share