as in skullduggery
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
had to resort to a certain amount of hanky-panky to sneak away from the house without his dog seeing him
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Recent Examples of hanky-panky
But there was no hanky-panky, and in fact the two couples had dinner together every week for two years after Dirty Dancing wrapped.
—
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
On my ride with Boaz and Javadi, a Waymo operator suddenly joined us on the audio system, not to inform us that hanky-panky is prohibited, but to say that two passengers did not have their seat belts fastened.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024
Any outlier hanky-panky effort by Republicans would be enjoined by the courts based upon solid precedent.
—Jerry Goldfeder, New York Daily News, 24 July 2024
No hanky-panky, no name calling, no twisting of truths, no bull.
—Patrick Wallis, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Our inescapable conclusion is that the target of this pitch is being snowed by an acquaintance hoping to climb out of the friend zone for a bout of hanky-panky before moving on.
—Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 21 Feb. 2024
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
On my ride with Boaz and Javadi, a Waymo operator suddenly joined us on the audio system, not to inform us that hanky-panky is prohibited, but to say that two passengers did not have their seat belts fastened.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024
Any outlier hanky-panky effort by Republicans would be enjoined by the courts based upon solid precedent.
—Jerry Goldfeder, New York Daily News, 24 July 2024
No hanky-panky, no name calling, no twisting of truths, no bull.
—Patrick Wallis, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Our inescapable conclusion is that the target of this pitch is being snowed by an acquaintance hoping to climb out of the friend zone for a bout of hanky-panky before moving on.
—Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 21 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanky-panky
Noun
-
Even commercial amusements that played with illusion, such as trompe l’oeil paintings and chess-playing automatons, helped train Americans of all classes to identify the signs of deception.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
-
Recently recovered emails, messages, photos, and videos reveal the depths of the deception.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
When the magazine writer Dylan (Daryl Wein) and his girlfriend and photographer, Lucy (Abigail Cowen), descend upon the rocker Milo (Jack Farthing), there’s subterfuge afoot.—
Lisa Kennedy,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
The only safe refuge, 20 miles away, is the federal garrison at Harpers Ferry, but reaching it will require much subterfuge and even more luck.—
Alida Becker,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
From encounters with mermaids, the devil and even Robin Hood to themes of superstition and skulduggery, these short tales are perfect escapism to dip in and out of during your summer vacation.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
-
This year the skulduggery began early and has been raging for week.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Despite the chicanery, this is a solid deal for a phone that isn’t wildly different from the Pixel 9.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
Given the lawfare that tracks the uncertainty of our moral foundation, Henry Johnson is more pertinent than Oleanna, Mamet’s prophesy of the chicanery in the Me Too movement.—
Armond White,
National Review,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
That’s the treachery of this world, that’s the trap.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
24 May 2025
-
Press play below to learn more about Wells’ treachery, and to get a sneak peek at the fugitive interacting with her latest target.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In a nod to Chicago’s long history of bartender magicians, bars will be set up as much for trickery as for cocktails.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2025
-
Medicaid fraud patterns continue to proliferate, escaping the notice of human workers doing their best to spot such trickery.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Surgery would certainly be a novel form of gamesmanship.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
The idea that a foundational piece of vulnerability tracking infrastructure could vanish overnight because of political gamesmanship?—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
State media called the transfer part of a wider intelligence campaign, highlighting its secrecy and complexity.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 June 2025
-
Like thousands of other teachers, from kindergarten to college, he was called in by investigators on the flimsiest of evidence, in a hidden proceeding whose records are still shrouded in secrecy.—
Jane S. Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hanky-panky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanky-panky. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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