shenanigan

noun

she·nan·i·gan shə-ˈna-ni-gən

Synonyms of shenanigan next

: a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose

: tricky or questionable practices or conduct

—usually used in plural

: high-spirited or mischievous activity

—usually used in plural

Did you know?

The history of shenanigan is as tricky and mischievous as its meaning. Etymologists have some theories about its origins, but no one has been able to prove them. All we can say for certain is that the earliest known uses of the word in print appeared in the mid-1800s. Although the "underhanded trick" sense of the word is oldest, the most common senses in use now are "tricky or questionable practices" (as in "political shenanigans") and "high-spirited behavior" (as in "youthful shenanigans").

Examples of shenanigan in a Sentence

students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Viewers even got a sneak peek of the shenanigans Snooki and JWoww 2.0. —

Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 25 Jan. 2025 Judge Doom Perhaps the most accurate, as destroying public transportation in Los Angeles is exactly the kind of shenanigans this admin is planning on getting up to. —

Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2025 The comedy is in the schemes Dreux and Alyssa pull to make quick money, and Syreeta Singleton’s script invents plenty of memorable shenanigans. —

Fred Topel, Deadline, 17 Jan. 2025 Around him, dense as a swarm of tiny insects, float tiny images of fellow adepts engaged in all manner of outré shenanigans. —

Holland Cotter, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shenanigan