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
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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skulduggery
Noun
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This capability to detect deception should be a warning to everyone who relies on AI for critical thinking tasks.—
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Not only do language barriers complicate your talking with her parents, but the deception has already begun — this girl has been regularly visiting your home under false pretenses.—
Noun
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Jane was a devout Protestant at a time of religious upheaval, the ultimate innocent victim of the chicanery of the Tudor court in the chaotic aftermath of Henry VIII’s reign.—
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The big picture: Opponents argue that moves like these give a green light for corporations to engage in all kinds of chicanery.—
Noun
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His delivery of Mantel’s dialogue—modern, intelligent, bristling with implication and subterfuge—is mesmerizingly clear.—
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With a bit of guidance, navigating between the classic go-to’s and the newer dining options are scattered throughout the properties can lead to incredible culinary discoveries, plenty of popping champagne bottles and even a dash of historical subterfuge.—
Noun
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Criticisms and claims of trickery are at times pointed out.—
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But there is no science supporting this trickery in the case of the weight-loss drugs.—
Noun
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Psychologist Susan Cain, in Quiet, says introverts thrive in solitude, delivering their best work without the social stimulus overload of open offices and needing to play political gamesmanship.—
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Broad experience helps chairmen identify counterproductive gamesmanship.—
Noun
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The 19-year-old, ranked No. 54 in the world, hammered down 14 aces in an impressively confident display of power and guile in what was by far the biggest moment of his young career.—
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But here, Gyllenhaal mesmerizes in a career-best performance that taps into the infinite well of his talent, portraying Iago’s scorching resentment, guile and humor.—
Noun
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No matter how Congress formally scores the price of extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as other Trump initiatives, accounting legerdemain can’t make fiscal reality disappear.—
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Congressional legerdemain can’t wave away that reality.—
Cite this Entry
“Skulduggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skulduggery. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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