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
-
But there’s some deception at play.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Stories of similar scenes are sweeping Puerto Rico—raids without court orders, marked by deception and racial profiling, often regardless of legal status.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Corona del Mar used some trickery to take the lead on the ensuing possession.—
Michael Huntley,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Or, some serious internal trickery.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The trial was a kangaroo circus packed with sophism, subterfuge, and courtroom chicanery.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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Those concerns were laid bare in the discovery process for the defamation case that Dominion Voting Systems took against Fox over false suggestions of fraud and other chicanery aired by guests on the network.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
The trial was a kangaroo circus packed with sophism, subterfuge, and courtroom chicanery.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Maybe Payton’s running the best preseason subterfuge campaign ever to make Estime look bad on film.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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When does compromise become treachery or defeat?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Could Juno be behind this treachery, as payback for David destroying her spy corporation and for changing his oldest daughter into a killer?—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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And though O’Neil, who has been inside, says the building itself is in no shape for skullduggery, that doesn’t mean said skullduggery isn’t happening elsewhere.—
A.K. Whitney,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
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The American people are seeking solace and inspiration from its leaders, not pettiness and skullduggery.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Anyone who doubts his resolve and dedication - especially when Charlie was such a close friend to him- simply is using this extremely sad moment in a disgusting act of political gamesmanship.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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In practice, however, PSLF has been a story of bureaucratic failure and political gamesmanship.—
Leadership Brainery,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Jiggery-pokery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jiggery-pokery. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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