chicanery

American  

[shi-key-nuh-ree, chi-] / ʃɪˈkeɪ nə ri, tʃɪ- /

noun

plural

chicaneries

1. trickery or deception by quibbling or sophistry.

   He resorted to the worst flattery and chicanery to win the job.

   Synonyms:

   knavery, deception, fraud

2. a quibble or subterfuge used to trick, deceive, or evade.

   Synonyms:

   evasion

---

chicanery British  

/ ʃɪˈkeɪnərɪ /

noun

1. verbal deception or trickery, esp in legal quibbling; dishonest or sharp practice

2. a trick, deception, or quibble

---

Etymology

Origin of chicanery

From the French word chicanerie, dating back to 1605–15. See chicane, -ery

Example Sentences

“This sort of chicanery has been going on since at least the ’90s,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Did he feel he needed to shake up his players by warning them of supposed chicanery?

From BBC

That said, there are plenty of reasons — none involving any kind of partisan chicanery — that explain why California elections seems to drag on and vote totals shift as ballots are steadily counted.

From Los Angeles Times

“The Baron of Wall Street” proclaims that Dillon—not alone in his era—enriched himself through “chicanery, subterfuge, and graft.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The likelihood, I’m told, of the press moving out increased after Cheung accused us of chicanery.

From Salon

Related Words

• dishonesty
• duplicity
• machination
• stratagem