shenanigan
noun
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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
Max Greenwood, Miami Herald, 14 June 2024
Prices for some items are even going down at some major retailers, after executives realized their customers had enough of their pricing power shenanigans.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 13 June 2024
At the end of Industry’s third season — a level up for the series in terms of scale, writing, and general shenanigans — a few of its characters end up at this monument to old money for a dinner party.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2024
Other clusters and objects are similarly breathtaking, so good that I was left fearing some Samsung Moon Gate-style processing shenanigans.
—Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for shenanigan 
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.
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“Shenanigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shenanigan. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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