variants
or skullduggery
as in deception
the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end
the company's apparently healthy bottom line was merely an illusion, the result of years of accounting skulduggery
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skulduggery
Schiff’s skulduggery was unfortunate but totally rational under the current system.
—
David Daley, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024
This one went smoothly — no claims of rampant rigging, no significant taint of skulduggery — due in large part to the defeat of deepfakes, democracy’s newest enemy.
—Michael Rogers, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2024
In a separate incident of apparent skulduggery in 2007, Belichick was fined a league maximum of $500,000.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024
And the latest corporate skulduggery requires Murderbot to access its creativity in a whole new way.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
David Daley, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024
This one went smoothly — no claims of rampant rigging, no significant taint of skulduggery — due in large part to the defeat of deepfakes, democracy’s newest enemy.
—Michael Rogers, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2024
In a separate incident of apparent skulduggery in 2007, Belichick was fined a league maximum of $500,000.
—Bill Pennington, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024
And the latest corporate skulduggery requires Murderbot to access its creativity in a whole new way.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for skulduggery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulduggery
Noun
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Since its launch, in 2011—a direct response to the 2008 financial crisis—the CFPB has focused on protecting Americans from various forms of financial fraud and deception.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2025
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The show, starring Kaitlyn Dever as Gibson, explores the dangers of misinformation in the wellness industry and the impact of Gibson's deception on those who followed her advice.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There will be years of political infighting, courtroom battles, and financial chicanery.—
Jeff Goodell,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2025
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That access has been critical, because producers are now forced to cut away from replays faster to capture more of that line-of-scrimmage chicanery.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This sequence introduces The Agency as a maze of contradictory nationalist motivations, paranoia-inducing surveillance, and prevalent subterfuge — and, in its hidden center, a love story.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2025
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Using a figurehead Then again, Trump might just want to avoid all of these legal subterfuges by following the example of George and Lurleen Wallace.—
Philip Klinkner,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Obfuscation and trickery are necessary and effective tactics.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2025
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Where Ricken sees benevolence and opportunity, Devon sees only wiles and trickery.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Lukashenko's support for the war in Ukraine has led to the rupture of Belarus' ties with the U.S. and the EU, ending his gamesmanship of using the West to try to win more subsidies from the Kremlin.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2025
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Or, Newsom could walk away more vulnerable to criticism that his political gamesmanship and thirst for the national spotlight compromised his ability to deliver for Californians.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Whatever Van Nistelrooy has seen in training that has left him using the young Argentine so sparingly must be serious because the Brighton loanee is a player with guile and graft.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
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His characteristics are based on short, neat passes, providing guile to unpick deep-sitting blocks and work in tight areas.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Congressional legerdemain can’t wave away that reality.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes,
4 Dec. 2024
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Both activities depended on legerdemain and made elaborate use of optical illusions.—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes,
23 Sep. 2024
Articles Related to skulduggery
Cite this Entry
“Skulduggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulduggery. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
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