underhand 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of underhandnext
1
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception willing to stoop to underhand methods in order to win

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others the congressman's underhand attempt to slip several pork barrel items into the bill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

underhand

2 of 2

adverb

as in underhanded

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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 underhand
Adjective
The Bruins weren’t just tossing underhand lobs in the first period for the Sabres to jack out of the park. — Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026 Hart slowed for an instant before charging off the mound, and Devers, who is no one’s idea of fast, beat out the underhand shovel from Gavin Sheets. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Each team will alternate tossing the bean bag underhand onto the board until all four bean bags are thrown. — Anthony Gharib, USA TODAY, 13 June 2023 Pitchers tossed underhand and no one wore gloves yet, resulting in smarting pain in the hands of catchers and first basemen. — Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for underhand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhand
  1. fraudulent
  2. clandestine
  3. deceptive
  4. covert
  5. shady
  6. undercover
  7. crooked
  8. underground
Adjective
  • Philadelphia police are also working with GoFundMe to prevent fraudulent fundraisers, the department said in a post on Facebook.
    — Laura Fay, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Dispute fraudulent charges and accounts, follow up on your identity theft report and request that fraudulent information be removed from your credit reports.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • Bridgers’ tour restricts phones, so the reader’s account had to stand in for the clandestine photo that might otherwise have accompanied the sighting.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Soviet Union operated an extensive clandestine biological weapons program despite being a party to the Biological Weapons Convention.
    — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026
  • What Apple says about suspicious iMessages Apple says this type of deceptive messaging uses social engineering, a tactic in which scammers rely on impersonation and manipulation to persuade people to share personal information.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • This year has seen several notable incidents involving both overt and covert threats to undersea infrastructure, including Iranian efforts to impose fees on operators of undersea cables running through the contested Strait of Hormuz.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • From hippies to covert racists, psychedelics to cult-like workshop leaders, this is a world where any difference is still scrutinized and looked down on.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • The fake image was attention-grabbing, shady, and timely — in other words, perfect for social media virality but a potential liability for the parties involved.
    — Mia Sato, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026
  • If weather permits, be sure to dine at Oliveto Restaurant & Lounge Bar, which sits beneath a shady grove of trees and overlooks the pool and vineyard.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • The show revolved around Crockett and Tubbs, two undercover detectives infiltrating South Florida’s criminal underworld.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • At its center is a youngish man named Bob Arctor, an undercover cop who starts using drugs in order to infiltrate a house full of addicts in Southern California.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • Others convicted in relation to the robbery included Brian Reader, a career criminal who was involved in other high-profile robberies before and after Brink’s-Mat, crooked solicitor Michael Relton, and McAvoy’s wife, Kathleen.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • For now, the crooked finger stays, and so does the jumper that comes with it.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • Deep underground, iron-rich rocks could hold the key to producing hydrogen at a fraction of the cost of conventional fuels.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Additionally, the estate includes elevator service to all three floors, 25-yard lap pool, outdoor kitchen, veranda with stone fireplace and underground seven-car garage with Tesla charging station.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of underground

Browse Nearby Words

undergrowths
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Cite this Entry

“Underhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhand. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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