underhand 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of underhandnext
1
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception willing to stoop to underhand methods in order to win

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others the congressman's underhand attempt to slip several pork barrel items into the bill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

underhand

2 of 2

adverb

as in underhanded

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of underhand
Adjective
The Bruins weren’t just tossing underhand lobs in the first period for the Sabres to jack out of the park. — Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026 Hart slowed for an instant before charging off the mound, and Devers, who is no one’s idea of fast, beat out the underhand shovel from Gavin Sheets. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Each team will alternate tossing the bean bag underhand onto the board until all four bean bags are thrown. — Anthony Gharib, USA TODAY, 13 June 2023 Pitchers tossed underhand and no one wore gloves yet, resulting in smarting pain in the hands of catchers and first basemen. — Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 29 Mar. 2023 See All Example Sentences for underhand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhand
  1. fraudulent
  2. clandestine
  3. deceptive
  4. covert
  5. shady
  6. undercover
  7. crooked
  8. underground
Adjective
  • Prosecutors allege the crew printed fraudulent UPS labels to reroute boxes nationwide.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Rush’s fraudulent conduct cost the federal government approximately $194 million in total losses, according to the Justice Department.
    — Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of fraudulent
Adjective
  • As Béatrice’s amateur detective work pulls her in deeper, the strands begin to suggest a conspiracy, one marked by mysterious disappearances and the clandestine sway of the Vatican.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Other entries referenced covert access, clandestine technical operations and telecommunications interception.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of clandestine
Adjective
  • In past elections, deceptive political robocalls have resulted in significant fines associated with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the federal law at the center of the petition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The film chronicled Gortner’s youth as a Pentecostal preacher in the American South and exposed the deceptive practices used to bilk believers out of their money.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • In the air, stealth aircraft require covert, point-to-point laser links to exchange target data without revealing their position to adversary direction-finding systems.
    — Rohit Jha, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In early January, the United States captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a covert military operation.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of covert
Adjective
  • The extensive wellness area is built into the rocks with a series of open-air mezzanines, treatment rooms, shady sea-viewing spots and plunge pools.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Aside from Anderson, Paz and Méndez have moments of raw emotion in their scenes together, but Affleck and Washington never generate much heat, while Yeun mostly stands around looking shady.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shady
Adjective
  • Some of us live in Chicago and are well aware of the lore of the Mirage Tavern, a real bar that undercover reporters operated in the 1970s to expose corruption in the city.
    — Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublica, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Investigators also said Ellaboudy advised an undercover FBI confidential human source posing as a representative of a Houthi colonel.
    — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of undercover
Adjective
  • For now, the crooked finger stays, and so does the jumper that comes with it.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In 2025, romance scammers bilked ordinary men and women out of over a billion dollars using a variety of crooked tactics.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • Poland also has over 86,000 places of refuge offering a lower level of protection such as basements, underground garages or subway stations, and catering for around 23 million people.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In 2011, Joe Kay debuted Soulection as a college radio show at Cal State Long Beach, spinning rare B-sides, progressive beats, inventive flips of classic records and soulful underground tracks.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of underground

Browse Nearby Words

undergrowths
underhand
underhanded
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Cite this Entry

“Underhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhand. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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