UNDERHANDED Synonyms: 128 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'underhanded' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of underhanded are clandestine , covert , furtive , secret , stealthy , and surreptitious . While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," underhanded stresses fraud or deception. // an underhanded trick

Q: Where would 'clandestine' be a reasonable alternative to 'underhanded'?

In some situations, the words clandestine and underhanded are roughly equivalent. However, clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered. // a clandestine meeting of conspirators

Q: When is 'covert' a more appropriate choice than 'underhanded'?

The meanings of covert and underhanded largely overlap; however, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared. // covert intelligence operations

Q: When can 'furtive' be used instead of 'underhanded'?

Although the words furtive and underhanded have much in common, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness. // lovers exchanging furtive glances

Q: When might 'secret' be a better fit than 'underhanded'?

While the synonyms secret and underhanded are close in meaning, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive. // met at a secret location

Q: When could 'stealthy' be used to replace 'underhanded'?

The words stealthy and underhanded can be used in similar contexts, but stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing. // the stealthy step of a burglar

Q: When is it sensible to use 'surreptitious' instead of 'underhanded'?

The synonyms surreptitious and underhanded are sometimes interchangeable, but surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority. // the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

underhanded 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of underhanded

as in deceptive

given to or marked by cheating and deception the commercial is a part of an underhanded PR campaign to whitewash the company's environmental record

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in clandestine

undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others an underhanded attempt at infiltrating the other party's headquarters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

underhanded

2 of 2

adverb

as in underhand

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word underhanded distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of underhanded are clandestine, covert, furtive, secret, stealthy, and surreptitious. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Where would clandestine be a reasonable alternative to underhanded?

In some situations, the words clandestine and underhanded are roughly equivalent. However, clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

When is covert a more appropriate choice than underhanded?

The meanings of covert and underhanded largely overlap; however, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

When can furtive be used instead of underhanded?

Although the words furtive and underhanded have much in common, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

When might secret be a better fit than underhanded?

While the synonyms secret and underhanded are close in meaning, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

When could stealthy be used to replace underhanded?

The words stealthy and underhanded can be used in similar contexts, but stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

When is it sensible to use surreptitious instead of underhanded?

The synonyms surreptitious and underhanded are sometimes interchangeable, but surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

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 underhanded

Adjective

All those underhanded importers also view AI as their own helpful tool. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 After Russia’s attempts to exploit social-media networks in 2016, some tech companies also started trying to monitor and police this kind of underhanded meddling. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Before Mbappe scored his penalty, Gustavo Velazquez, the Paraguayan defender, scuffed the penalty spot, another underhanded attempt to disturb the tournament favourites. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026 Years of unrelenting pressure—smear campaigns, interrogations, arrests, a violent raid, and underhanded attempts at control—had succeeded in breaking it. — Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for underhanded

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhanded

Adjective

In past elections, deceptive political robocalls have resulted in significant fines associated with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the federal law at the center of the petition.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
The film chronicled Gortner’s youth as a Pentecostal preacher in the American South and exposed the deceptive practices used to bilk believers out of their money.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of deceptive

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

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

Definition of underhand

Adjective

Prosecutors allege the crew printed fraudulent UPS labels to reroute boxes nationwide.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Rush’s fraudulent conduct cost the federal government approximately $194 million in total losses, according to the Justice Department.

— Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraudulent

Adjective

There has been serious buzz recently about the film series focused on the United States conducting covert actions against drug cartels.

— David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Flashbacks to recent events reveal that the townspeople never let Hal find peace, and even firebombed his home, only for a grown-up Noah — Kerry’s son, and Zoe’s grandson — to save him and regenerate his skin using Zoe’s covert alien tech.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of covert

Adverb

The spread of the video was aided by clippers, accounts that post hundreds of clips in a single day and are paid by companies to stealthily link these viral moments to their platforms.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
Wolf’s Shinobi Prosthetic houses a grappling hook for scaling rooftops, leaping between trees, and approaching enemies stealthily.

— Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of stealthily

Adjective

The extensive wellness area is built into the rocks with a series of open-air mezzanines, treatment rooms, shady sea-viewing spots and plunge pools.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Aside from Anderson, Paz and Méndez have moments of raw emotion in their scenes together, but Affleck and Washington never generate much heat, while Yeun mostly stands around looking shady.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of shady

Adjective

Some of us live in Chicago and are well aware of the lore of the Mirage Tavern, a real bar that undercover reporters operated in the 1970s to expose corruption in the city.

— Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, 5 Oct. 2026
Investigators also said Ellaboudy advised an undercover FBI confidential human source posing as a representative of a Houthi colonel.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of undercover

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“Underhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhanded. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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