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
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
The music industry is a notoriously cutthroat business, rife with tales of backstabbing and skullduggery.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
And though O’Neil, who has been inside, says the building itself is in no shape for skullduggery, that doesn’t mean said skullduggery isn’t happening elsewhere.
—A.k. Whitney, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
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
The music industry is a notoriously cutthroat business, rife with tales of backstabbing and skullduggery.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
And though O’Neil, who has been inside, says the building itself is in no shape for skullduggery, that doesn’t mean said skullduggery isn’t happening elsewhere.
—A.k. Whitney, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulduggery
Noun
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This deception is slicker than a greased pig!—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Mar. 2026
-
One of the best seasons of the show so far, season 4 of HBO’s finance-world saga dialed the drama, deception, corporate-speak, stress, and moral ambiguity to the max.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After Thomas Hickey was hanged that year for mutiny, sedition and treachery, Washington warned that his fate should serve as a caution to all soldiers.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
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With their leader detained, El Mayo’s sicarios, or hit men, declared war against supporters of Chapo’s sons in an attempt to exact vengeance for the treachery and strengthen their own position in the wider organization.—
Daniel DePetris,
Mercury News,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That said, there are plenty of reasons — none involving any kind of partisan chicanery — that explain why California elections seems to drag on and vote totals shift as ballots are steadily counted.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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That said, there are plenty of reasons — none involving any kind of partisan chicanery — that explain why California elections seems to drag on and vote totals shift as ballots are steadily counted.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This claim swayed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to note this version of the administration’s fabrication in his dissent, which will be forever linked to this administration’s subterfuge.—
Mark Pirie,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Both nations are among the tournament's top contenders, which made the last few practices stateside simmering with subterfuge.—
Ren Clayton,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Traitors winner Rob Rausch has paid the price for his trickery.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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There’s almost nothing in the way of metaphor or trickery.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
25 Feb. 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
Noun
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But the gamesmanship, foreshadowing the adulterous antics of Harold Pinter’s plays, escalates perilously.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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Voters will get a chance to reject anti-democratic gamesmanship in an April referendum.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The roles of bluffing and secrecy in our interactions with others (or, how lying can help—and hurt—us).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
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Here, state lawmakers enjoy such a privilege of secrecy that the state auditor isn’t even able to audit them.—
Sam Meas,
Boston Herald,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skulduggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulduggery. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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