underhand

[uhn-der-hand] / ˈʌn dərˌhænd /

ADJECTIVE

deceitful

Synonyms

STRONG

underhanded

WEAK

clandestine concealed crafty crooked cunning deceptive devious dirty-dealing dishonest dishonorable double-crossing duplicitous fraudulent furtive guileful hush-hush indirect insidious oblique on the Q.T. on the quiet secret secretive shady shifty slippery sly sneaking sneaky stealthy sub-rosa surreptitious treacherous tricky two-faced two-timing under wraps undercover unethical unfair unjust unscrupulous wily

Antonyms

WEAK

aboveboard forthright frank honest

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.

One parent said she was never worried anything underhand was happening and that Blackmore had been "a really good teacher".

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

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

Finally, the coach held a ball high over his head and announced: “Wouldn’t want anyone else in the world leading us,” and flipped an underhand pass to Stafford as the team erupted.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2023

"The case against Mr Mackintosh is that he received those donations knowing that Mr Grossman was doing it in that underhand way."

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2023

“I find underhand is generally the best technique.”

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

Vocabulary lists containing underhand

Physical Education - Introductory

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Physical Education - Middle School and High School

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: under-

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!