1
as in deceptive
given to or marked by cheating and deception
the commercial is a part of an underhanded PR campaign to whitewash the company's environmental record
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clandestine
undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
an underhanded attempt at infiltrating the other party's headquarters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in underhand
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of underhanded
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Dec. 2024
People can sneakily shape generative AI in ways that are atrocious, underhanded, and the like.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
At the time, many of the underhanded tactics were allowed, like commuting the sentence of an inmate who convinced Graham to offer payment for an alibi from a man who turned out to be an undercover officer.
—Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 22 Dec. 2024
What’s more, Owens—the true definition of a despicable heel—could end Rhodes’ reign as champion via underhanded tactics, protecting Rhodes in the process.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for underhanded
Adjective
Jones’ suit portrays this as a sudden departure with distinctly underhanded methods from the jump.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhanded
Adjective
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Phishing campaigns leverage compromised accounts or domains to send deceptive invitations, luring victims into downloading harmful files.—
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It’s got a slim, high-rise fit with a deceptive amount of cargo space that includes tennis ball pockets and side pockets.—
Adjective
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Brendan Marks and Matt Baker uncovered documents that illustrate North Carolina’s clandestine research into conference realignment.—
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This defiant and entertaining work playfully uses headshots and avatars to visualize clandestine audio recordings documenting years of Kafkaesque impositions, threats, and vital dissident art.—
Adverb
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Each team will alternate tossing the bean bag underhand onto the board until all four bean bags are thrown.—
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Pitchers tossed underhand and no one wore gloves yet, resulting in smarting pain in the hands of catchers and first basemen.—
Adjective
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Unpaid toll text messages are likely a scam, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission warns, urging drivers to stay vigilant and avoid falling for fraudulent messages claiming overdue toll notices.—
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With home addresses exposed in data leaks, criminals may send fraudulent letters or fake invoices to trick you into providing further personal information or making payments.—
Adjective
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Though, with the man known as Kingpin, his political aspirations are likely just an extension of those shady dealings.—
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Like who would ever meet in a bathroom, that's so insanely shady.—
Adjective
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Experts are alarmed that the cuts could leave the United States defenseless against covert foreign influence operations and embolden foreign adversaries seeking to disrupt democratic governments.—
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Unlike covert narcissists, who mask their behavior with self-pity, grandiose narcissists rely on charm and manipulation to thrive.—
Adjective
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That benchmark is unattainable because mankind is made of crooked timber, and our station in life is influenced by happenstances beyond our control — our parents, siblings, relatives and place of birth.—
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Workers reported bent rafters, crooked columns and snapped cables before the building collapsed, according to OSHA.—
Adjective
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The series also highlighted how Illinois statutes provide a degree of protection to politicians. To prosecute their case, the feds brought charges against Madigan after extensive wiretapping and cooperation from two undercover moles, former 25th Ward Ald.—
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In May 2023, an undercover police officer went into the Schenectady deli and grocery where Alaidrus was working behind the counter.—
Cite this Entry
“Underhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/underhanded. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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