finaglings
Crafty behind-scenes dealings
Finaglings are acts of obtaining something through clever, often underhanded maneuvering—scheming, manipulating, or bending rules to get what you want.
The word carries a sense of crafty persistence rather than outright dishonesty: After weeks of finaglings, she got the corner office.
His financial finaglings eventually caught up with him.
Deception through clever manipulation
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
- artificeClever deceptive strategy
sleight · gimmick · flimflam · shenanigans · bamboozling · hocus-pocus · jugglery · legerdemain
Devising a secret plan
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
collusion · stratagem · contrivance · skullduggery · cabal · underhanded · clandestine · backdoor
Skillful directional control
- engineeringDesigning functional systems scientifically
- wranglingLengthy, contentious disputing
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- string-pullingCovert use of influence
arm-twisting · coercion · leveraging · orchestration · rigging · fixing · tampering · fudging
Negotiating mutually acceptable terms
- hagglingNegotiating a lower price
- deal-makingNegotiating agreements between parties
- horse-tradingShrewd, tough negotiating
- wranglingLengthy, contentious disputing
bartering · dickering · back-channeling · brokering · sweet-talking · cajoling · persuading · coaxing
Cunning in manner
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- shrewdnessKeen practical judgment
foxiness · astuteness · cleverness · caginess · artfulness · deviousness · slickness · sharpness
Intentional criminal trickery
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- conArgument against
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- duperyCalculated misleading of another
fakery · hoax · charlatanry · imposture · misrepresentation · deceit · sham · fabrication
chicanery
Deception through clever manipulation
- subterfugeDeliberate deception to conceal
- ruseDeliberate act of deception
- ployCalculated deceptive tactic
artifice · sleight · gimmick · flimflam · shenanigans · bamboozling · hocus-pocus · jugglery · legerdemain · fast-talk
plotting
Devising a secret plan
- machinationCrafty scheming, often hostile
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
- conspiracyClandestine coordinated scheming
conniving · collusion · stratagem · contrivance · skullduggery · cabal · underhanded · clandestine · backdoor · backroom
maneuvering
Skillful directional control
- engineeringDesigning functional systems scientifically
- wranglingLengthy, contentious disputing
- exploitationSelfish use of others
string-pulling · arm-twisting · coercion · leveraging · orchestration · rigging · fixing · tampering · fudging · massaging
bargaining
Negotiating mutually acceptable terms
- hagglingNegotiating a lower price
- deal-makingNegotiating agreements between parties
- horse-tradingShrewd, tough negotiating
wrangling · bartering · dickering · back-channeling · brokering · sweet-talking · cajoling · persuading · coaxing · schmoozing
slyness
Cunning in manner
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
shrewdness · foxiness · astuteness · cleverness · caginess · artfulness · deviousness · slickness · sharpness · ingenuity
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
dupery · fakery · hoax · charlatanry · imposture · misrepresentation · deceit · sham · fabrication · forgery
finaglingsplain dealing
Honest, straightforward conduct
transparency · candor · directness · forthrightness · openness
finaglingsfair play
Honorable conduct in games
due process · ethical conduct · square dealing · official channels · standard practices