HANKY-PANKIES Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

hanky-panky

noun

ˌhaŋ-kē-ˈpaŋ-kē

Definition of hanky-panky

as in deception

the use of clever underhanded actions to achieve an end had to resort to a certain amount of hanky-panky to sneak away from the house without his dog seeing him

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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 hanky-panky No hanky-panky, no name calling, no twisting of truths, no bull. — Patrick Wallis, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024 But there was no hanky-panky, and in fact the two couples had dinner together every week for two years after Dirty Dancing wrapped. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024 Our inescapable conclusion is that the target of this pitch is being snowed by an acquaintance hoping to climb out of the friend zone for a bout of hanky-panky before moving on. — Tom Zoellner, SPIN, 21 Feb. 2024 Any outlier hanky-panky effort by Republicans would be enjoined by the courts based upon solid precedent. — Jerry Goldfeder, New York Daily News, 24 July 2024 And Floria most certainly doesn’t indulge in any of the hanky-panky in elevators and storerooms of the kind that the randy staffers in Grey’s Anatomy wallow in. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 2 Aug. 2025 So just to be critical or even open to suspicion of hanky-panky or shenanigans around vaccination is immediately shut down by The New York Times or anybody. — David Zane Mairowitz, Rolling Stone, 22 Dec. 2025 The screening usually focusses on clandestine hanky-panky, but this season the girls’ irreverence was so abundant that the producers treated them to an unprecedented second viewing night. — Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026 On my ride with Boaz and Javadi, a Waymo operator suddenly joined us on the audio system, not to inform us that hanky-panky is prohibited, but to say that two passengers did not have their seat belts fastened. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanky-panky

Noun

Harry and the six other high-profile claimants failed to prove their allegations that the publisher unlawfully obtained private information through methods including private investigators, deception, phone hacking and corrupt payments.

— Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Alleged privacy breaches include voicemail interception, phone hacking and obtaining personal information through deception.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Definition of deception

Noun

Once there, a combination of Messi’s genius, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s larger-than-life performances, a well-balanced team, and — it must be said — some unsavoury moments of skullduggery by several players, helped Argentina battle their way to the final against defending champions France.

— Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 June 2026
For this skullduggery-stopping potential, the city paid $67,548, which is in the rough ballpark as what your average cop probably makes annually.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 17 June 2026

Definition of skulduggery

Noun

There’s a tremendous amount of financial chicanery that goes on in 2026.

— Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 11 June 2026
Not many people, however, concluded that financial chicanery at executive level should be used as a stick with which to beat the players and coaches who had won those trophies over the years in question.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 21 May 2026

Definition of chicanery

Noun

West said Eisner was particularly delighted with the stage trickery that allowed a child actor to be seen as Chip, a teacup.

— Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2026
The absolute key to France’s attack is the telepathic understanding brewing between Mbappé and Olise, whose combined trickery and close control are in perfect harmony.

— Tom Burrows, New York Times, 27 June 2026

Definition of trickery

Noun

For 70 minutes, Paraguay had played with corseted restraint, frustrating France with organisation, concentration and no little gamesmanship.

— Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Gerry was not alone among the Founders in opposing such political gamesmanship.

— Frederic J. Fransen, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026

Definition of gamesmanship

Noun

Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.

— Sue Brightman, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025

Definition of deceptiveness

Browse Nearby Words

hanks

hanky-panky

hansom

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“Hanky-panky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanky-panky. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hanky-panky

noun

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