shenanigan
noun
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").
Synonyms
Examples of shenanigan in a Sentence
Michelle Cottle, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024
The fact that these five brave men were able to reproduce their musical shenanigans—with the occasional touch of cello, recorder, violin, trumpet and vibes—is astonishing.
—Ernesto Lechner, SPIN, 11 Apr. 2024
Years later though, she was fed up with my superstar shenanigans.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024
The Ghost Army -- comprised of 1,300 U.S. soldiers -- helped trick the Third Reich with deceptive battlefield shenanigans that protected their fellow Americans and helped defeat Nazi Germany.
—John Parkinson, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2024
The juvenile shenanigans that provide conflict are filled with tension — as predicaments like breaking an arm and dealing with cops are very different scenarios from the perspective of the Black Crandells as compared to their white predecessors.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
Another Friday night, another welcome party: his and hers signature cocktails, best friend’s toast about embarrassing high school shenanigans and Caprese skewers at the buffet.
—Isabelle Stillman, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The organization had rules to stop those kinds of pay-for-play shenanigans and investigators to chase down overeager boosters, who mostly eluded their grasp.
—Joe Drape, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
The acting is terrific, the visuals still pop 40 years later, but the not-so-secret sauce is really Aykroyd and Ramis' script, one full of memorable lines that finds a brilliant balance between supernatural shenanigans and thoughtful spirituality.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shenanigan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shenanigan
Cite this Entry
“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shenanigan. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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