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
This sort of skulduggery wasn’t limited to just the grenadine market, of course.
—
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 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
The music industry is a notoriously cutthroat business, rife with tales of backstabbing and skullduggery.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 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
The music industry is a notoriously cutthroat business, rife with tales of backstabbing and skullduggery.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulduggery
Noun
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Investigators say Ford used a two-part deception.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Staff,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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But then there’s another wrinkle that Holmes is throwing at batters that could really ramp up the deception.—
Eno Sarris,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Not having to bear that burden, I was transported by Bentley and his co-writer Greg Kwedar to a Pacific Northwest of quiet beauty and matter-of-fact treachery.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
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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
Noun
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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.—
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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His pace, trickery and willingness to run outside and stretch defenders will be useful in the coming weeks.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The Traitors winner Rob Rausch has paid the price for his trickery.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 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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In some possible gamesmanship, South Carolina will start junior right-hander Nealy Lamb.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
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Speaking of which… How might the gerrymandering gamesmanship between the parties play out in the fall?—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In that environment, secrecy can carry risks.—
Bruce Helmer,
Twin Cities,
14 Mar. 2026
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The combination of Israel’s undeclared arsenal and Iran’s nuclear ambitions has created what many analysts describe as a tense strategic balance, one that relies heavily on deterrence and secrecy.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skulduggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulduggery. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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