shenanigans
/ʃɪˈnæn.ɪ.ɡənz/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.21 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
noun
Strange, unusual, weird, or wacky occurrences.
noun
plural of shenanigan.
Example Sentences
- "Shanti and Tom are playing noisily upstairs again. They’re up to their usual shenanigans."
- "Well, I'm not the woman to stand any shenanigans from a child of mine. I could name you dead loads of women that are just completely walked over by their children."
- "You should learn to spot their shenanigans and avoid being fooled."
- "The advertisement said it would cost $50, but they charged me $75 at the register. I declare shenanigans."
- "One of Professor [John] Moon's most astonishing "experiments," consisted of holding a watch suspended from a short chain at arm's length, and allowing anyone in the pit to pull pistol and "blaze away" at the word "fire," whereupon the watch would most unconscionably disappear. An individual who had attended several evenings and witnessed the "experiment," suspected, in the classic language of the times, that there was something of "shenanigan" in it."
- "There are stories still told how money was used and promised, but from the best knowledge I can acquire, I think this is not true. If sharp practice was played, and "shenanigan" was used, we, to-day, looking back upon those times, cannot say that evil has come of it."
Etymology
Etymology tree English shenanigan Middle English -es English -s English shenanigans From shenanigan + -s.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ʃɪˈnæn.ɪ.ɡənz/
- British English: /ʃɪˈnæn.ɪ.ɡənz/