adjective

underhanded

Underhanded (adjective) means Dishonest, sly, or deceitful. Example: “They accused the manager of underhanded business practices.”

adjective

Dishonest, sly, or deceitful.

"They accused the manager of underhanded business practices."

"It was an underhanded way to win the vote."

Short-staffed.

"The restaurant was underhanded on the busiest night of the year."

How to use underhanded

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSneaky and dishonest, usually describing tactics or behavior.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with underhand (the throwing motion) — underhanded almost always means dishonest.

Easily confused with

underhand →

Common pairings

underhanded tactics underhanded scheme

more underhanded comparative, more underhanded comparative, the underhanded plural, most underhanded superlative, most underhanded superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

They accused the manager of _____ business practices.

From under- + handed.

handed landed banded branded stranded shorthanded

What does “underhanded” mean?

The word “underhanded” means dishonest, sly, or deceitful. In plain terms, sneaky and dishonest, usually describing tactics or behavior.

How do you use “underhanded” in a sentence?

Here is “underhanded” used in a sentence: “They accused the manager of underhanded business practices.”

What part of speech is “underhanded”?

“Underhanded” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “underhanded” have?

“Underhanded” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: dishonest, sly, or deceitful.