shenanigans
10 synonyms for shenanigans, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Mischievous or high-spirited behaviour; playful goings-on.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun informal
Mischievous or high-spirited behaviour; playful goings-on.
“Nobody got hurt, but there were some shenanigans in the hotel corridor at 3am.”
2. noun informal
Dishonest or underhand dealing; trickery meant to gain an unfair advantage.
“Auditors uncovered accounting shenanigans stretching back four years.”
How to use shenanigans
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
up to shenanigans
no shenanigans
financial shenanigans
legal shenanigans
Informal, faintly humorous; common in journalism as a wry euphemism for wrongdoing.
Frequently asked questions
Is shenanigans always plural?
Nearly always. The singular shenanigan exists and is occasionally used for one incident, but the plural is the normal form and takes a plural verb: shenanigans were afoot.
Is shenanigans a rude word?
No. It is informal and slightly comic, and it can soften a serious accusation, which is why journalists reach for it when describing fraud they cannot yet prove. It is safe in almost any company.
What is the difference between shenanigans and hijinks?
Hijinks is purely playful, high-spirited fun. Shenanigans covers that too but can also mean deliberate dishonesty, so context decides whether you are describing a prank or a scam.
