underhand
Americanadjective
-
executed with the hand below the level of the shoulder and the palm turned upward and forward.
an underhand delivery of a ball.
-
an underhand deal with the chief of police.
- Synonyms:
- surreptitious, clandestine, sly, stealthy
adverb
-
with the hand below the level of the shoulder and the palm turned upward and forward.
to bowl underhand.
-
secretly; stealthily; slyly.
adjective
-
clandestine, deceptive, or secretive
-
sport another word for underarm
adverb
Etymology
Origin of underhand
First recorded before 900; 1530–40 underhand for def. 2; Middle English adverb under honde “in one's possession, in one's charge, secretly,” Old English under hand, under hond(e) “in one's possession, in one's subjection, in one's power”; see origin at under-, hand
Vocabulary lists containing underhand
Physical Education - Introductory
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Physical Education - Middle School and High School
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: under-
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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.
The dog trainer said they are often people-orientated and want to please, so there is no need to use any excessive force or underhand training methods.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Which is why, in the days immediately afterward, he then incorporated underhand flip drills into his pregame work as well.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2025
Right now, there is: Intrigue, plotting, phone calls, quiet chats, guesswork and claims of underhand tactics.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024
Donovan Mitchell threw a 50-foot inbounds pass underhand, Bam Adebayo inbounded a ball off Nikola Jokic’s backside before dribbling downcourt and making a 3, and Devin Booker went through pregame with a hat on backwards.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 18, 2024
“Here,” he said, tossing it underhand at Tyrion.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
