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

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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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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

The Celtics weren’t able to create any distance from their pesky hosts until Brown hit a pair of 3-pointers late in the half — one off a nifty underhanded pass from Neemias Queta, the other set up by a Scheierman offensive rebound. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026 In California, the law prevents incumbents from pulling off the kind of underhanded stunt that Garcia and Daines managed. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 The underhanded plan The way this plan was launched speaks volumes. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026 Instead of helping the contestant, the complaint alleges that show producers convinced the couple not to quit the show and assured them there was nothing underhanded occurring with their depiction. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for underhanded

Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhanded

Adjective

The state agency said clinic staffers had clients sign a personal injury waiver, which the commission said was unenforceable, against public policy and deceptive and dishonest.

— Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026
Bartůňková and Krejčíková share finesse in the front of the court as well as deceptive power, with Bartůňková’s excellent spot-serving giving her a platform and Krejčíková’s ability to change rhythm at will trying to destabilize it.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of deceptive

Adjective

That the actual, original Antifa formed in clandestine resistance to Nazi terror during the early 1930s appears lost amid the rhetorical vagaries of political propaganda.

— Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 10 July 2026
Russia and China are seeking the capability to disable and eventually destroy Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network, an investigation found, as the allies deepen their clandestine military cooperation.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 9 July 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

One plaintiff claimed their debit card was hit with $80 in fraudulent charges.

— Chase Jordan July 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
Anthropic published a report in February claiming other Chinese firms DeepSeek, Moonshot, and MiniMax generated 16 million exchanges with Claude through approximately 24,000 fraudulent accounts.

— Harry Booth, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of fraudulent

Adverb

The noble consort takes the empress’s place, smirking, and stealthily pushes her down the stairs when no one is watching.

— Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
But did Spilotro go about life as an upstanding model citizen who rubbed elbows with the Vegas elite, while quietly and stealthily protecting the Mafia's financial interests in Vegas casinos?

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 June 2026

Definition of stealthily

Adjective

Finally, the jury would be instructed that OpenAI deleted billions of logs, which would play into news plaintiffs’ narrative that OpenAI has been moving in shady ways to obscure alleged substitution in the market since the case began.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
Tiffany Haddish is reacting to the White House’s shady response to one of her Jimmy Kimmel Live punchlines.

— Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026

Definition of shady

Adjective

Lioness stars Nicole Kidman, Zoe Saldaña, and Morgan Freeman, and follows an all-female CIA team known as the Lionesses, who conduct covert missions in the War on Terror.

— Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022, following his covert invasions of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and eastern regions in 2014, Russian forces have captured roughly 12% of Ukraine’s territory.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of covert

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“Underhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhanded. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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