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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skulduggery
Soprano Nicole Car’s initially elegant Elizabeth accumulates both physical and vocal intensity as the opera exposes more and more skulduggery around her.
—
Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
But this week social media posts began to surface alleging the firm was engaged in skullduggery.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
The outcome of the family’s skulduggery, revealed over the end credits, should be a lip-smacking wicked delight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
There was much more to it than that, including some skullduggery along the way.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
But this week social media posts began to surface alleging the firm was engaged in skullduggery.
—Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2026
The outcome of the family’s skulduggery, revealed over the end credits, should be a lip-smacking wicked delight.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
There was much more to it than that, including some skullduggery along the way.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulduggery
Noun
-
But in a further deception orchestrated by the Devil, the king’s mother is ordered to kill the queen and her child.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Red-team against deliberate deception, not just natural variability.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Peacock’s adventures in treachery The Traitors was the top dog, scoring five prizes including Best Competition Series and Best Host for Alan Cumming.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
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Upon learning of Ava’s treachery, Deborah HOWLS.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Not many people, however, concluded that financial chicanery at executive level should be used as a stick with which to beat the players and coaches who had won those trophies over the years in question.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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There was some physicality – McAvoy absolutely buried Peyton Krebs off the hop – but little post-whistle chicanery.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If the Allies had had to postpone the invasion for the next moon-tide alignment later in the month, the subterfuge would have been exposed.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
29 May 2026
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Jakirovic was speaking before the EFL’s independent commission came down heavy on Southampton’s subterfuge.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
Noun
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But ultimately, Williams believes AI can be an extension of editing trickery that has existed since the dawn of filmmaking.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
27 May 2026
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Consider, too, relatively new forms of trickery, such as manipulating substitution procedures or spying on rivals.—
Cesar R. Torres,
The Conversation,
26 May 2026
Noun
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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
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Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.—
Sue Brightman,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There was also gamesmanship by several teams, using one driver to slow down the pack to help their other driver gain positions.—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
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Individual fiefdoms will survive this disingenuous brand of political gamesmanship, but the governor and other top leaders may not.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Leo simultaneously defends the secrecy of confession as religious freedom, despite critics calling it an abuse shield, and sidesteps a meeting with ex-Opus Dei members amid Argentine investigations.—
Suman Naishadham,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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The end of the state legislative session in Albany reveals that once again secrecy and opacity were the norm as the public business was conducted out of sight from the public.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skulduggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulduggery. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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