Skullduggery means sneaky, underhanded behavior intended to trick or cheat someone. It's dishonest scheming that stays just barely hidden from view. When politicians engage in skullduggery, they might make secret deals or spread false rumors about opponents. When someone uses skullduggery to win a contest, they're playing dirty tricks behind the scenes rather than competing fairly.

The word carries a sense of craftiness and deviousness. It's not violent crime or obvious theft. It's the kind of dishonesty that operates in shadows and relies on deception. A villain in a mystery novel might use skullduggery to frame an innocent person, planting false clues and manipulating evidence.

You might hear someone say “There's some skullduggery going on here” when they suspect hidden manipulation or trickery, even if they can't quite prove it yet. The word has a slightly old-fashioned, almost playful sound to it, but the behavior it describes is serious. While skullduggery might sound like something from a pirate adventure, it happens anywhere people try to get ahead through secretive, dishonest schemes rather than honest effort.