chicanery
/ʃɪˈkeɪnəri
/noun [mass noun]
The use of deception or subterfuge to achieve one’s purpose: storylines packed with political chicanery...
- Set aside the usual circus ring tricks of political chicanery.
- The managers hope that, through chicanery and fraud, they could save the dollar from sudden death.
- Lies, fraud, chicanery and self indulgence are endemic in society today - or am I being presumptuous?
Synonyms
trickery, deception, deceit, deceitfulness, duplicity, dishonesty, unscrupulousness, underhandedness, subterfuge, fraud, fraudulence, legerdemain, sophistry, sharp practice, skulduggery, swindling, cheating, duping, hoodwinking;
deviousness, guile, intrigue, craft, craftiness, artfulness, slyness, wiles;
misleading talk
informal crookedness, monkey business, funny business, hanky-panky, shenanigans, flimflam
British informal jiggery-pokery
North American informal monkeyshines
Irish informal codology
archaic management, knavery
Origin
Late 16th century: from French chicanerie, from chicaner 'to quibble' (see chicane).