1
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
2
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
as in underhand
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underhanded
Becket Adams, National Review, 12 Jan. 2025
Jones’ suit portrays this as a sudden departure with distinctly underhanded methods from the jump.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Dec. 2024
People can sneakily shape generative AI in ways that are atrocious, underhanded, and the like.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
At the time, many of the underhanded tactics were allowed, like commuting the sentence of an inmate who convinced Graham to offer payment for an alibi from a man who turned out to be an undercover officer.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underhanded
Adjective
From lobbing slow-motion, underhanded softballs of no public interest to failing to seek clarification for unintelligible tirades to ignoring or allowing falsehoods and blatant political spin, the interview serves less as a public service and more as a reminder of ...
—Becket Adams, National Review, 12 Jan. 2025
Jones’ suit portrays this as a sudden departure with distinctly underhanded methods from the jump.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Dec. 2024
People can sneakily shape generative AI in ways that are atrocious, underhanded, and the like.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
At the time, many of the underhanded tactics were allowed, like commuting the sentence of an inmate who convinced Graham to offer payment for an alibi from a man who turned out to be an undercover officer.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhanded
Adjective
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Burrowes’ new fraud lawsuit also includes claims for unjust enrichment and deceptive business practices.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
26 Feb. 2025
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken some steps to regulate the collection of data in vehicles, focusing on consumer protection and preventing deceptive practices.—
Eric Reicin,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Information in federal systems includes Treasury payments that could be used to figure out the details of intelligence programs or health and personnel records that could reveal the identities of agents or the responsibilities of clandestine officers.—
DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
28 Feb. 2025
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The criminal charges also allege Navarro and Worden ensured that no invoice related to the clandestine construction surpassed $3,000, a threshold that would have required further authorization from Caltrain and TransAmerica Services Inc., the company that employed Worden.—
Robert Salonga,
The Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2025
Adverb
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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
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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
Adjective
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It is intended to streamline the removal of individuals deemed inadmissible under specific grounds, primarily for lacking proper documentation or for using fraudulent means to enter the country.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
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The suit alleges that employees at the Novato branch were incentivized not to do anything to stop PFI’s fraudulent activity.—
Richard Halstead,
The Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Months of fighting the rape claims in federal court in NYC and failing to get the matter tossed out saw a lot of bitter finger pointing with claims of bribery, shady probes and lying from all sides, to varying degrees.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2025
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And not in a shady way and not to tear her down as a person.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto and Isabella Rossellini star in Conclave in which Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
2 Mar. 2025
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In covert gatherings across California, raw goat or cow milk is mixed with cane alcohol and sugars to make pajaretes.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As a side sleeper who constantly wakes up with a crooked neck and often back pain, this was a huge plus.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
27 Feb. 2025
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In short, repealing the FCPA will be a boon to crooked foreign corporations and will create an uneven playing field—in their favor.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Based on an incident that had happened 10 years earlier, the book chronicles the harrowing story of two undercover LAPD patrol officers who are kidnapped during a routine traffic stop that goes horribly wrong.—
Chris Koseluk,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
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Russo turned stool pigeon within a month of his November 2017 arrest for selling a kilo of cocaine to an undercover agent.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Underhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhanded. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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