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as in to deceive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shanghai
They’re shanghaied by Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes), basically evil but also adorable, to Living Island — the witch wants Freddy — where trees walk and objects talk and the mayor is the title character, a friendly dragon.
—
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023
Some historians believe, as The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported, that the tunnels weren’t actually used to shanghai -- that is, abduct men and force them to join a ship’s crew.
—oregonlive, 26 Mar. 2020
The musical comedy is filled with zany pirates, zombie ships, mermaids and the plot revolves around a bumbling actor and his crew getting shanghaied by the terror of the high seas.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2019
To shanghai your wife into a mental health intervention would be a mistake.
—Y Jeanne Phillips, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2018
That prompts the secretly protective Madea to shanghai Joe and the equally outrageous old-timers Hattie (Patrice Lovely) and Bam (Cassi Davis) for a trip to the lake to bring Tiffany back.
—Mike Scott, NOLA.com, 20 Oct. 2017
The ways in which our attention gets shanghaied by these companies makes us less good as citizens.
—Isaac Chotiner, Slate Magazine, 5 Oct. 2017
The idea of a summertime art festival has been shanghaied by the nonprofit Art Shanty Project.
—Bob Shaw, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2017
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023
Some historians believe, as The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported, that the tunnels weren’t actually used to shanghai -- that is, abduct men and force them to join a ship’s crew.
—oregonlive, 26 Mar. 2020
The musical comedy is filled with zany pirates, zombie ships, mermaids and the plot revolves around a bumbling actor and his crew getting shanghaied by the terror of the high seas.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2019
To shanghai your wife into a mental health intervention would be a mistake.
—Y Jeanne Phillips, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2018
That prompts the secretly protective Madea to shanghai Joe and the equally outrageous old-timers Hattie (Patrice Lovely) and Bam (Cassi Davis) for a trip to the lake to bring Tiffany back.
—Mike Scott, NOLA.com, 20 Oct. 2017
The ways in which our attention gets shanghaied by these companies makes us less good as citizens.
—Isaac Chotiner, Slate Magazine, 5 Oct. 2017
The idea of a summertime art festival has been shanghaied by the nonprofit Art Shanty Project.
—Bob Shaw, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shanghai
Verb
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This collection was taken by National Park Service photographers, who have captured federal public lands and wild critters across the Western U.S.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
6 June 2025
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Social media video captured Thursday night showed dozens of cars leaving neighborhoods in the city’s south.—
Mohammed Tawfeeq,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Even children who are online only in small doses likely see false or inaccurate information that might deceive them.—
Evan Orticio,
Scientific American,
2 June 2025
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In November, Dove pleaded guilty in Gaston County to a dozen felony charges related to illegally accessing police computer systems and helping someone deceive a polygraph test, The Gaston Gazette reported.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Inspired by Kurosawa’s High and Low, the film follows a corporate titan whose life unravels when his child is mistakenly kidnapped, forcing moral and strategic reckonings.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
13 June 2025
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Randle previously reported to police on Tuesday that her daughter, 3-year-old Nola Dinkins, had been kidnapped at gunpoint, which led to the issuing of an Amber Alert in Newark, Delaware, police said.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Geragos asked Jane about presents that Diddy lavished upon her, for example, seemingly to suggest that his gift-giving indicated a romantic relationship, not a ruse to trick her into kink.—
Victoria Bekiempis,
Vulture,
11 June 2025
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Phishing pages masquerade as banks, auction sites, and other sensitive sites, hoping to trick victims into logging in.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Harrison impressed in that performance, submitting former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm by submission in the second round at UFC 400.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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With a home this special, of course, the primary suite — with its two levels and four rooms — would also be designed to impress.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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There was snow covering the ground and still snowing hard.—
Mike Rayder,
Hartford Courant,
5 June 2025
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So her side was like snowing, and then my side was blue sky.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
Verb
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This harmonious and uplifting transit encourages you to take bold steps toward your desires and seize opportunities that come your way.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
3 June 2025
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Morena overhauled the court system late last year, fueling protests and criticism that the reform is an attempt by those in power to seize on their political popularity to gain control of the branch of government, that was until now, out of their reach.—
MARÍA VERZA,
Arkansas Online,
3 June 2025
Verb
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President Donald Trump’s massive bill package, dubbed the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ contains a proposal that could significantly waylay a burgeoning movement to regulate artificial intelligence on the state level.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
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If you’re waylaid by a technical snag, email the smart people at cookingcare@nytimes.com for help.—
Melissa Clark,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shanghai.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shanghai. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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