Definitions

funny business

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dirty tricks n.
foul play n.
hanky-panky n.
impishness n.
jig n.
mischief n.
mischievousness n.
prankishness n.
prankster n.
rascality n.
roguery n.
roguishness n.
shenanigan n.
shenanigans n.
take in n.
tomfoolery n.
trick n.
trickery n.

NOUN

dirty tricks

Synonyms

WEAK

dirty pool malicious tactics monkey business shady business skullduggery unethical behavior

NOUN

foul play

Synonyms

WEAK

bad deed corruption crime cruel act dirty trick dirty work felony fraud lawbreaking murder violence wrong

NOUN

hanky-panky

Synonyms

WEAK

amour chicane chicanery dalliance deception devilry dirty pool double-dealing fling flirtation fooling around fourberie fraud hankie-pankie hokey-pokey knavery liaison love affair machinations mischief monkey business romance sexual activity sharp practice shenanigans skullduggery subterfuge trickery

Antonyms

WEAK

faithfulness honesty

NOUN

impishness

Synonyms

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill injury misbehavior mischievousness misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prank prankishness rascality roguery roguishness sabotage shenanigans sportiveness tomfoolery transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

jig

Synonyms

STRONG

accomplishment antic artifice caper catch deception device dodge escapade feat feint frolic gag gambol gimmick imposture jape jest lark maneuver ploy put on ruse shenanigan sleight sport stratagem stunt subterfuge tomfoolery wile

WEAK

monkeyshine practical joke sleight of hand

Antonyms

STRONG

failure frankness honesty honor openness reality truth truthfulness

NOUN

mischief

Synonyms

STRONGEST

catastrophe evil misconduct playfulness prank sabotage vandalism wrongdoing

STRONG

atrocity devilment devilry fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill impishness injury misbehavior mischievousness misfortune naughtiness outrage rascality roguery roguishness shenanigans sportiveness transgression waggery waggishness wrong

WEAK

dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid behavior benefit blessing good happiness help kindness obedience right

NOUN

mischievousness

Synonyms

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill impishness injury misbehavior misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prank prankishness rascality roguery roguishness sabotage shenanigans sportiveness tomfoolery transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

prankishness

Synonyms

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill impishness injury misbehavior mischievousness misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prank rascality roguery roguishness sabotage shenanigans sportiveness tomfoolery transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

prankster

Synonyms

STRONGEST

prank rascal rogue

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devil devilment devilry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill imp impishness injury misbehavior mischievousness misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness rascality roguery roguishness sabotage scamp shenanigans sportiveness transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

rascality

Synonyms

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill impishness injury misbehavior mischievousness misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prank prankishness roguery roguishness sabotage shenanigans sportiveness tomfoolery transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

roguery

Synonyms

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill impishness injury misbehavior mischievousness misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prank prankishness rascality roguishness sabotage shenanigans sportiveness tomfoolery transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

roguishness

Synonyms

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness gag harm hurt ill impishness injury misbehavior mischievousness misconduct misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prank prankishness rascality roguery sabotage shenanigans sportiveness tomfoolery transgression vandalism waggery waggishness wrong wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick high jinks misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONG

advantage aid assistance behavior benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness manners obedience right virtue

NOUN

shenanigan

Synonyms

STRONGEST

gag high jinks misbehavior misconduct prank transgression wrongdoing

STRONG

atrocity catastrophe devilment devilry deviltry evil fault friskiness frolicsomeness harm hurt ill impishness injury mischievousness misfortune naughtiness outrage playfulness prankishness rascality roguery roguishness sabotage sportiveness tomfoolery vandalism waggery waggishness wrong

WEAK

diablerie dirty trick misdoing monkey business waywardness

Antonyms

STRONGEST

behavior manners obedience

STRONG

advantage aid assistance benefit blessing favor good goodness happiness help kindness right virtue

NOUN

shenanigans

Synonyms

STRONG

antics capers frolicsomeness gag horseplay misbehavior mischievousness naughtiness nonsense prank trouble vandalism

WEAK

dirty trick fooling around hanky-panky high jinks horsing around monkey business

NOUN

take in

Synonyms

STRONG

accomplishment antic artifice caper catch deception device dodge escapade feat feint frolic gag gambol gimmick imposture jape jest jig lark maneuver ploy put on ruse shenanigan sleight sport stratagem stunt subterfuge tomfoolery wile

WEAK

monkeyshine practical joke sleight of hand

Antonyms

STRONG

failure frankness honesty honor openness reality truth truthfulness

NOUN

tomfoolery

Synonyms

STRONG

absurdity antics bunk clowning craziness folly foolery foolishness fun giddiness horseplay insanity irresponsibility lunacy madness ridiculousness senselessness shenanigans silliness

WEAK

carrying-on fooling around high jinks joking kidding around ludicrousness

Antonyms

STRONG

sense seriousness

NOUN

trick

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accomplishment antic device feat gag shenanigan sleight of hand stunt

STRONG

caper catch escapade frolic gambol jape jest lark put on sport tomfoolery

WEAK

monkeyshine practical joke

NOUN

trickery

Synonyms

STRONGEST

chicanery deceit dishonesty razzle-dazzle scam shell game stunt

STRONG

cheat cheating chicane con dodge double-dealing dupery flimflam fraud guile hoax imposture pretense quackery shenanigans sting

WEAK

bait and switch double cross fast shuffle fourberie sharp practice snow job swindling underhandedness

Antonyms

STRONGEST

frankness honesty openness truthfulness

STRONG

reality truth

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.

See Examples For:

funny business

Hmm, any other funny business out there worth looking into …?

From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2025

In a joint interview with Harper's Bazar in 2019 the two claimed that there was “no funny business at all” during filming.

From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2024

He’s asked them all to visit the Dawn Project in Santa Barbara to evaluate his team’s methods, and to bring their engineers to see if there’s any funny business going on.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2023

But while he has added a lot of back stories, especially for Fleetwood, Sonja and Queen, his version also features quite a few new quips as well as some unfortunate broad funny business.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2022

He didn’t follow them around the aisles like some storekeepers do, but he always let them know there wasn’t going to be any funny business here.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

funny business

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words