Synonyms of shenanigans

shenanigans

noun

plural of shenanigan

1

as in mischief

playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm

students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mischief
• misconduct
• playfulness
• devilment
• mischievousness
• rascality
• roguishness
• wickedness
• devilishness
• devilry
• irritation
• waggishness
• knavery
• roguery
• impishness
• hob
• exasperation
• diablerie
• misbehavior
• waggery
• tomfoolery
• espièglerie
• buffoonery
• troublemaking
• chicanery
• trickery
• naughtiness
• goings-on
• friskiness
• hanky-panky
• monkeying
• annoyance
• high jinks
• horseplay
• skylarking
• caper
• sportiveness
• roughhousing
• antic
• trick
• practical joke
• diabolicalness
• monkey business
• aggravation
• monkeyshine(s)
• dido

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gravity
• seriousness
• solemnity
• gravitas
• solemnness

2

as in tomfoolery

wildly playful or mischievous behavior

an act of vandalism that went way beyond the usual shenanigans at summer camp

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tomfoolery
• joking
• buffoonery
• funning
• clowning
• monkeying
• horseplay
• high jinks
• roughhousing
• clownery
• skylarking
• mischief
• playfulness
• foolery
• roughhouse
• slapstick
• monkey business
• horsing around
• nonsense
• sporting
• monkeyshine(s)
• trickery
• childishness
• rowdiness
• jesting
• silliness
• rowdyism
• boisterousness
• rambunctiousness
• clownishness
• foolishness
• rascality
• frivolity
• roguishness
• merrymaking
• revelry
• mischievousness
• prankishness
• frolicking
• devilry
• cavorting
• rumbustiousness
• knavery
• roistering
• romping
• roguery
• waggery
• impishness
• gamboling
• sportiveness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shenanigans

The third season sees Ranma and fiancée Akane have to deal with old annoyances, new dangers, and even more shenanigans. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026

As for what’s going on with the cryptic buying up of team shares, that remains an ongoing mystery for much of the episode — one that ends without Higgins and Rebecca finding out who’s really behind the shenanigans. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026

The caveat is that while the V8s in these pickups are built for towing, off-road shenanigans, and long road trips, the LS6 in Chevy's sports car was tuned with the racetrack and canyon carving in mind. — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026

The nearly dialogue-free shenanigans hark back to slapstick comedians like Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, making the often hilariously violent encounters between these two characters feel at once fresh and classical. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026

Once the first-half shenanigans subside and both teams settle in, the better one will emerge victorious at The Booth. — Pj Green september 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026

But tighter scripting and less mayhem would have helped make his message heard, instead of diluting it with too many shenanigans. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026

Clearly their support worked as the streamer confirmed Hardy’s da Souza is back for more shenanigans in Season 3. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

The shenanigans with Leonard and Uncle Dennis just cost them an additional five firsts. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!