DictionaryAI

shenanigan

USshuh-NAN-uh-guhn/ʃəˈnænəɡən/UKshi-NAN-i-guhn/ʃɪˈnænɪɡ(ə)n/

2 meanings of shenanigan

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncolloquialcountableplural
    Singular of shenanigans: a deceitful confidence trick, or a prank or act of mischievous play, especially by children.

    The con man's favorite shenanigan was selling the same plot of land to three different buyers.

    Every April Fools' Day, the twins plan at least one shenanigan to pull on their dad.

    Note

    The word's origin is uncertain: it surfaces in California in the 1850s, toward the end of the gold rush, and one proposal traces it to Irish sionnachuighim, 'to play tricks', literally 'to play the fox'. In 1854 The Wide West defined it as an Irish word for humbug.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

    • The word's origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org
    • The earliest attestations are from California in the 1850s, near the end of the gold rush. en.wiktionary.org
    • Irish sionnachuighim, meaning 'to play tricks', literally 'to play the fox', is a proposed source. en.wiktionary.org
    • The Wide West described shenanigan as an Irish word synonymous with humbug in 1854. en.wiktionary.org

Less common meaning

  1. 2
    verbcolloquial
    To trick or swindle someone, or to play pranks on them; also, to carry out tricks or acts of mischief.
    Gosh, I never was so shenaniganned in all my life.
    1932, John Beames, Gateway

Use it in a sentence

Write your own sentence with shenanigan, and AI will tell you whether it fits and which meaning you used.

Origin

Of uncertain origin; the earliest records come from California in the 1850s, near the end of the gold rush. It may come from Irish sionnachuighim ("to play tricks", literally "to play the fox") or from Spanish chanada ("deceit, trick"), a shortening of charranada; other suggestions include East Anglian dialect nannicking ("playing the fool"), French ces manigances ("these fraudulent schemes") and German Scheinheilige ("sham holy men").

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 7 facts

  • The word's origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org
  • The earliest records are from California in the 1850s, towards the end of the California gold rush. en.wiktionary.org
  • Irish sionnachuighim, meaning 'to play tricks', literally 'to play the fox', is a proposed source. en.wiktionary.org
  • Spanish chanada, a shortening of charranada meaning 'deceit, trick', is another proposed source. en.wiktionary.org
  • East Anglian dialect nannicking, meaning 'playing the fool', has been suggested as a source. en.wiktionary.org
  • French ces manigances, meaning 'these fraudulent schemes', has been suggested as a source. en.wiktionary.org
  • German Scheinheilige, glossed as 'sham holy men', has been suggested as a source. en.wiktionary.org