chicanery

UK: /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/

US: /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri, tʃɪ-/

US: (shi kā′nə rē, chi-)

Inflections of 'chicanery' (n): npl: chicaneries

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

chi•can•er•y /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri, tʃɪ-/   n., pl. -ies. 

1. the use of sly or evasive language to trick or deceive:
   [uncountable] What political chicanery is he up to now?
   [countable] the chicaneries we endured last time.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

chi•can•er•y  (shi kā′nə rē, chi-), n., pl. -er•ies. 

1. trickery or deception by quibbling or sophistry:
   He resorted to the worst flattery and chicanery to win the job.
2. a quibble or subterfuge used to trick, deceive, or evade.

• French chicanerie. See chicane, -ery
• 1605–15

Synonyms

• 1. fraud, deception, knavery.
• 2. evasion.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

chicanery / ʃɪˈkeɪnərɪ/ noun ( -eries)

1. verbal deception or trickery, esp in legal quibbling; dishonest or sharp practice
2. a trick, deception, or quibble