1
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception
willing to stoop to underhand methods in order to win
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
as in underhanded
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of underhand
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025
The inmate seems to show his butt to the group one more time, and did an underhand slapping motion.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Nov. 2025
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
Adjective
Humans were seen tossing balls underhand or stepping up to test batting responses.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025
The inmate seems to show his butt to the group one more time, and did an underhand slapping motion.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Nov. 2025
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
Adjective
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The state agency that oversees Medicaid has been under scrutiny after the discovery of millions of dollars in potentially fraudulent payments.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The documents describe an elaborate hoax in which the defendants allegedly created fake companies and fraudulent email accounts and driver’s licenses to help fool lenders into loaning them huge sums of money.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Manson uncovers evidence of two clandestine killer-robot programs, one aerial and the other aquatic, which are being developed in haste.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
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This biopic — which Cooper also directed and co-wrote — centers on the complex relationship between Bernstein and his wife, the Costa Rican-Chilean actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), while also exploring his clandestine affairs with men.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There is a relaxing vibe about Hilton Head, and a lot of wedges in the hands of the best players, both of which can be deceptive.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Anything else amounts to a deceptive user experience that can discourage users from visiting unfamiliar pages in the future.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Other such discrimination is more covert.—
Alison Somin,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2026
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The hypoallergenic, 100-percent cotton fabric provides a breathable option for covert breastfeeding.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Leptospires survive in shady, wet and muddy environments, building up on mud particles as slime.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
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Alex Cooper asked Alix Earle what’s the beef between them after Earle had seemingly been reposting and commenting on shady videos about her for some time.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song And the internet has receipts.—
Mehera Bonner,
Marie Claire,
15 Mar. 2017
Adjective
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Still just missing that big hit to put some of these crooked numbers up there.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Horrified by the secrets revealed by Bateman, Christine Marie and Katas were emboldened to go undercover as amateur sleuths.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
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The arrest follows an undercover investigation by CNN into online networks of men teaching each other how to drug and rape their partners.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Underhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhand. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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