dirty tricks

plural noun

, Informal.

1. Politics. unethical or illegal campaign practices or pranks intended to disrupt or sabotage the campaigns of opposing candidates.
2. any similar practices carried out against rival countries or corporations for espionage or commercial purposes.

Other Words From

• dirt·y-trick·er·y [dur, -tee-, trik, -, uh, -ree], noun
• dirty-tricks adjective
• dirt·y-trick·ster [dur, -tee-, trik, -ster], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dirty tricks¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Idioms and Phrases

Undercover or clandestine operations and deceitful stratagems in politics and espionage. For example, This campaign has been dominated by the dirty tricks of both sides . The adjective dirty here is used in the sense of “unethical” or “unfair.” The term originally was applied to covert intelligence operations carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency, whose planning directorate was nicknamed “department of dirty tricks.” It later was extended to underhanded activity intended to undermine political opponents and commercial rivals. [1940s]

Example Sentences

Physical attacks and death threats were followed by somewhat subtler dirty tricks, known in Ukraine politics as “black PR.”

From The Daily Beast

The BND, however, has more restrictions on engaging in these kinds of dirty tricks.

From The Daily Beast

Who could approve of the FBI using extreme dirty tricks to encourage Martin Luther King to commit suicide?

From The Daily Beast

Their fight involved propaganda, surveillance, and a plethora of dirty tricks.

From The Daily Beast

Republicans specialize in accusing opponents of the dirty tricks they themselves are doing—or planning to do.

From The Daily Beast

But as Jimmy walked away, he said: Rand, dirty tricks dont pay.

From Project Gutenberg

I could beat him up, and I once threatened to do it; but that would not stop him from attempting these dirty tricks.

From Project Gutenberg

He knew that the fellow had played you some dirty tricks, and he decided he would keep an eye on him.

From Project Gutenberg

Would ye seek to persuade Martin Burney into the dirty tricks of an indecent Dago?

From Project Gutenberg

I don't mean that they commit legal swindles, but merely what may be called dirty tricks.

From Project Gutenberg