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Synonyms

funny business

American  

noun

Informal.

  1. improper or unethical conduct, as deception or trickery.

    He won't stand for any funny business here.
funny business Idioms  

  1. Deceit, treachery, unethical conduct. For example, We suspect their outfit has been up to some funny business. [Colloquial; c. 1880]

Etymology

Origin of funny business

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Elsewhere funny business has also been alleged.

From Washington Post

The consequence of so much funny business is that there’s not much to ponder about the characters’ inner lives, which makes Ibsen far less interesting to watch.

From New York Times

The thieves told them to run into the bank - no funny business or they would be shot - where they cowered as their captors worked to blow up the safe.

From Reuters

The first two-thirds of “Funny Business” reads like a journalistic fairy tale.

From Washington Post

“Funny Business” contains plenty of laughs but also elicits pangs of sadness.

From Washington Post

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.