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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
  • Avira’s Browser Safety component installs as an extension for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera to keep the browser away from dangerous and fraudulent websites.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Means also was found guilty on misdemeanor charges of presenting false or misleading information in support of an insurance claim and making a knowingly false or fraudulent statement to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • As Béatrice’s amateur detective work pulls her in deeper, the strands begin to suggest a conspiracy, one marked by mysterious disappearances and the clandestine sway of the Vatican.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Other entries referenced covert access, clandestine technical operations and telecommunications interception.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • About 7 in 10 ads carried no AI disclosure, although the count includes uses beyond deceptive impersonations and does not establish how many ads violated a law or misled voters.
    — Stefani Langehennig, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Shrinkflation is particularly confusing, perhaps even deceptive, since sticker prices may remain the same even as the amount of product inside the package quietly falls.
    — Sheldon H. Jacobson, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • In the air, stealth aircraft require covert, point-to-point laser links to exchange target data without revealing their position to adversary direction-finding systems.
    — Rohit Jha, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In early January, the United States captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a covert military operation.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • There was money, manipulation, secret meetings with shady characters in China, fake identities, lies, trickery, and deceit.
    — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Our favorite spots to lounge were the roof deck loungers and the padded bench seating beneath shady palm fronds in the atrium courtyard.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • The second half throws us into the other timeline, where Ari’s doppelgänger, known as Ibari, is a high-ranking undercover operative willing to disappear fellow citizens that pose challenges to the authoritarian government.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The news program worked with internet watchdog group Perverted Justice to record undercover sting operations against alleged pedophiles.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • For now, the crooked finger stays, and so does the jumper that comes with it.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In 2025, romance scammers bilked ordinary men and women out of over a billion dollars using a variety of crooked tactics.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • Poland also has over 86,000 places of refuge offering a lower level of protection such as basements, underground garages or subway stations, and catering for around 23 million people.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In 2011, Joe Kay debuted Soulection as a college radio show at Cal State Long Beach, spinning rare B-sides, progressive beats, inventive flips of classic records and soulful underground tracks.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of underground

Browse Nearby Words

undergrowths
underhand
underhanded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhand. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of regimen

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All