as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
the judge ordered the corporation to hand over all records, with no jiggery-pokery about unexpected problems and missing information
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Recent Examples of jiggery-pokery
The point is that the Constitution says that Congress has the sole power to decide what the country spends on, and with a bit of jiggery-pokery, this court let all the air out of those words.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jiggery-pokery
Noun
-
Widespread deception was rampant, with businesses spending far more on green marketing than on actual sustainability improvements.—
Suvrat Dhanorkar,
The Conversation,
18 May 2026
-
That, along with the angle of his arm—his arm slot, in baseball terms—adds another layer of deception.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
But those movies, in different ways, were about trickery and deceit, about drawing the audience into a head game of perception.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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That was about trickery in a tight situation.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There was some physicality – McAvoy absolutely buried Peyton Krebs off the hop – but little post-whistle chicanery.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Just typical power-grabbing Idaho lawmaker chicanery, right?—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Skip the subterfuge as the sun and Mercury harmonize.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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Whether those suspicions were valid or a result of subterfuge by Connelly, the Nuggets ultimately traded up six spots to draft Holmes, sacrificing three future second-round picks.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Upon learning of Ava’s treachery, Deborah HOWLS.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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Inflamed by Ratansen’s adviser’s account of Padmavati’s beauty, Alauddin Khalji storms the fortress by treachery rather than valor.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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One result of the existing system is that vote tabulations in California go on for weeks, something that frustrates the public and the media, and, in the current atmosphere, helps fuel suspicion of electoral skullduggery.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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The selection was announced by SMS to Iranians, among whom Mojtaba Khamenei has long had a reputation for skullduggery and power plays.—
Kay Armin Serjoie,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Is Bednar playing coy as a gamesmanship tactic?—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
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The difference is Jokic does not appear in any way interested in Antetokounmpo-like gamesmanship.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.—
Sue Brightman,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Jiggery-pokery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jiggery-pokery. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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