noun
shenanigans
shə-NAN-ig-ənz
Shenanigans (noun) means Mischievous or high-spirited behaviour; playful goings-on. Example: “Nobody got hurt, but there were some shenanigans in the hotel corridor at 3am.”
noun
1
informal Mischievous or high-spirited behaviour; playful goings-on.
"Nobody got hurt, but there were some shenanigans in the hotel corridor at 3am."
"The stag do was three days of shenanigans."
2
informal Dishonest or underhand dealing; trickery meant to gain an unfair advantage.
"Auditors uncovered accounting shenanigans stretching back four years."
"There'll be no shenanigans with the ballot boxes on my watch."
How to use shenanigans
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPlayful mischief, or sneaky dishonest behaviour.
When to use it
Informal, faintly humorous; common in journalism as a wry euphemism for wrongdoing.
Memory tip
The word's origin is genuinely unknown; be sceptical of confident claims that it comes from Irish.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
up to shenanigans
no shenanigans
financial shenanigans
legal shenanigans
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Nobody got hurt, but there were some _____ in the hotel corridor at 3am.
Synonyms
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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.
What is the meaning of shenanigans?
"shenanigans" (noun) means mischievous or high-spirited behaviour; playful goings-on.
