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
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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
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Recent Examples of shenanigan
His banter with deadpan Principal Woodman (John Sylvester White) and his loving, eye-rolling wife Julie (Marcia Strassman) brought the series full circle, blending schoolyard shenanigans with heartfelt adult comedy.
—
Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
How that ratio of truth to horse manure will manifest in the shenanigans of season two is anyone’s guess.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
The child star, who had previously made TV appearances and had a supporting part in 1989's Uncle Buck, nabbed the starring role in the movie playing Kevin McCallister, a young boy who is accidentally left home alone by his family and faces the ensuing shenanigans of his solo time.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The youngest boy Benny Walter (Lennix James) participated in these shenanigans, as did Jordan (Dean Petriw), who always has his video camera on him to capture documentary-worthy moments like that prank, which stemmed from a bet between Isaac and Cole.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
How that ratio of truth to horse manure will manifest in the shenanigans of season two is anyone’s guess.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
The child star, who had previously made TV appearances and had a supporting part in 1989's Uncle Buck, nabbed the starring role in the movie playing Kevin McCallister, a young boy who is accidentally left home alone by his family and faces the ensuing shenanigans of his solo time.
—EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The youngest boy Benny Walter (Lennix James) participated in these shenanigans, as did Jordan (Dean Petriw), who always has his video camera on him to capture documentary-worthy moments like that prank, which stemmed from a bet between Isaac and Cole.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shenanigan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shenanigan
Noun
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The punishment verdict comes one day after jurors found Raunaq Alam guilty of criminal mischief but not a hate crime for spray-painting anti-Israel graffiti on a wall at the Uncommon Church in Euless.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives largely focused on Paul's relationships and role as a mother, and also documented her troubles with the law in February 2023, when she was arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Police said McGriff employed the ruse to access the couple's Queens residence and then set it ablaze.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
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McGriff allegedly tried the ruse at a nearby house first but was turned away, Tisch said.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The allegations led to the October 2023 suspensions of Williams, Moore and Pryor after internal investigations into their handling of the county’s Dine-In 2 program found widespread financial misconduct first reported by The Sacramento Bee.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The suspension marks the third time in recent weeks that the archdiocese has publicly addressed allegations of misconduct involving leaders in its community.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The company tracks emissions transparently, prioritizes reduction over offsetting, and ensures compliance with recycling and producer responsibility schemes in every market.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Youth are especially vulnerable to these schemes, particularly on social media, experts say.—
Nancy Cutler,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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During Full House, Sweetin said the child actors would often come across as more professional than their adult counterparts amid all the tomfoolery.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Rite of passage or midnight tomfoolery?—
Jake Allen,
IndyStar,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So the real trick was creating a hue with blendability that people were willing to reapply.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Luray Caverns feel almost magical—complete with musical instruments built into the walls, mirror-like lakes that play tricks on your eyes, and even a wishing well tucked into the underground pathways.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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He’s been tinkering with this messaging on and off since damn near the start of the century, when his criticism of the genre shifted from the power-holding executives (both white and Black) of the music industry who were profiting off buffoonery, a la Bamboozled, to rap music itself.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shenanigan. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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