1
as in mischief
usually shenanigans plural
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hijinks
usually shenanigans plural
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end
the street-corner huckster of pirated DVDs had all sorts of shenanigans to keep the cops off of his tail
Synonyms & Similar 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 shenanigan
Follow the money: The stock market, for one, is tiring of such shenanigans.
—
Felix Salmon, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025
The innate sweetness of the series carries it past figurative and literal rapids and into shenanigans involving bear carvings, a bear temple in the mountains, and a secret bear community.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
One nerdy aspect to watch out for come July: Sign-and-trade shenanigans with Marvin Bagley’s $12.5 million expiring contract.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
The office, a symbolic province of the elderly, has become a particularly exciting backdrop for youthful shenanigans.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Felix Salmon, Axios, 7 Mar. 2025
The innate sweetness of the series carries it past figurative and literal rapids and into shenanigans involving bear carvings, a bear temple in the mountains, and a secret bear community.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
One nerdy aspect to watch out for come July: Sign-and-trade shenanigans with Marvin Bagley’s $12.5 million expiring contract.
—John Hollinger, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025
The office, a symbolic province of the elderly, has become a particularly exciting backdrop for youthful shenanigans.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigan
Noun
-
Montesquieu was charged with fleeing a police car, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and obstructing governmental administration.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Garrett, who was paralyzed as a result of the crash, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, fleeing to elude high speed (serious bodily injury or death), battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and criminal mischief.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Frank This character doing all the heavy lifting to keep Rick’s ruse afloat and Sam Rockwell doing all the heavy lifting to keep this plot interesting: Thank you for your service, gentlemen.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2025
-
This is, of course, a ruse to put Rick in the same room with Jim, who, according to his mother on her deathbed, killed his do-gooder dad.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, each case involved egregious misconduct, including the wholesale fabrication of news stories.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The Lost in Translation actor discussed the allegation of inappropriate misconduct that led to production halting Aziz Ansari's unfinished film Being Mortal and, later, an investigation.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Detectives arrested a man accused in a lottery ticket stealing scheme that netted him and a partner thousands of dollars in winnings, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
-
His chief adviser was also charged in state court with taking part in a separate bribery scheme.—
Jan Ransom,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
This isn't the first case of April Fools' tomfoolery from BabyQuip.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Special content, tips, and tricks: Free digital access to the vast recipe archives of Bon Appétit and Epicurious, plus an in-depth video filmed in the test kitchen of one recipe from each box.—
The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Other styling tricks included whimsical touches on simplified outfits such as oversized scarves, bag charms, layered belts, fur accessories and extravagant strands of pearls.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His is a sort of erudite buffoonery that consistently tap-dances between clever, self-aware, and patently stupid.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2025
-
There is, in fact, real stagecraft along with the buffoonery.—
Susan B. Glasser,
The New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The action anime feature for everyone who couldn’t get enough of the horseplay in The Two Towers has finally cantered onto Max.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Key speeches are faithfully delivered to an audience of two, not thousands; a scene of soldiers destructively revelling on a bridge is given a different spirit by ironic, out-of-time horseplay.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigan. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share