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
In 1978, Kathleen Madigan won the Mid-Missouri Hoops Shoot Championship by making 14 of 15 attempts, all underhand. — Mac Engel march 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026 In a late-game highlight, rookie forward Adou Thiero provided a rare opportunity for Laker fans to cheer, catching a Bronny James underhand lob for an alley-oop dunk through contact. — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 11 Feb. 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
  • Tashia McKenzie, 36, faces one count each of fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits and second-degree larceny, the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said in a news release Tuesday.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Verification can be particularly important because fraudulent job listings have become a concern for applicants and job platforms alike.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • The clandestine manner in which LG monitors were installing ad-pushing software onto third-party devices, however, remains seriously concerning.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The clandestine transits have changed the game for the Middle Eastern oil industry.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • Meta will be subject to an injunction prohibiting it from making further false, misleading, or deceptive statements around its safety features.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The agency has said deceptive or unfair data practices can violate existing consumer protection laws.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • Psyops can be overt or covert, but they’re designed with a clear objective, said Jan Goldman, a professor of intelligence and security studies at The Citadel who has also worked on psyops.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In a recent presentation, OpenAI researchers described how AI agents used a covert message board to plan their next moves.
    — Alex Heath, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • But for now, CyberLeek is trying to monetize the GTA 6 leaks by asking for shady donations.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Others sat in shady spots on Montrose Avenue where the parade units combined with waiting community groups to end the parade at the festival grounds.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • According to government documents, an undercover DHS agent attended a meeting of ICE protesters at Prince of Peace in February.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Starring Steve Coogan, Legends chronicles the lives of undercover British customs investigators.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • Cowin soon shifted to straighter technical methods applied to crooked storylines.
    — Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, there are crooked cops on the inside trying to spring El Chapo, so the arresting officers need to quickly figure out who to trust.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • Deep underground salt behaves like a slow-moving plastic under the weight of the earth (salt creep).
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, was powered up in an underground tunnel near Geneva, Switzerland.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of underground

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Cite this Entry

“Underhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhand. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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