knavery

[ ney-vuh-ree ]

noun

, plural knav·er·ies.

1. action or practice characteristic of a knave.
2. unprincipled, untrustworthy, or dishonest dealing; trickery.
3. a knavish act or practice.

knavery

/ ˈneɪvərɪ /

noun

1. a deceitful or dishonest act
2. dishonest conduct; trickery

Word History and Origins

Origin of knavery¹

First recorded in 1520–30; knave + -ery

Example Sentences

Their core provisions were always unlikely to substantially affect turnout or election outcomes — and they were also mostly orthogonal to the weak spots in the electoral system that Trump’s knavery attempted to exploit.

From New York Times

From their study of English history, they learned what might be called the law of knavery: there aren’t any good ways to get rid of a bad king.

From The New Yorker

But the really troubling thing about his tenure of knavery is that, even if and when he is removed, the damage he has done will remain and those who exploited his corruption for personal gain will have walked away with no consequences.

From New York Times

“I only know that it is mixed, that you cannot separate good from bad, that wisdom, courage and benevolence exist alongside knavery, greed and stupidity; heroism and fortitude alongside vainglory, cruelty and corruption.”

From New York Times

In a letter last fall to the mayor of Krefeld, Mr. Naumann described the history of the paintings as “an unspeakable piece of knavery by the museum’s management since the end of the war in 1945.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• calamity
• catastrophe
• corruption
• crime
• harm
• hatred
• ill
• misery
• pain
• sin
• suffering
• wrong