👶 Illegitimacy 😠 Mean behavior

bastardry

9.8

Unfair or dishonest behavior that hurts other people

noun
/ˈbæstərdri/

Offensive

: canallada

Stories of political bastardry often make headlines during election season.

Examples

She could not forgive the bastardry that cost her family their home.
His bastardry shocked everyone at the meeting.
The manager's bastardry made him feared by everyone in the office.
The politician's bastardry was exposed by the media.
His blatant act of bastardry shocked everyone in the office.
The team's bastardry was exposed when they sabotaged their rivals' project.
Many considered her bastardry unforgivable after how she treated her friend.

Synonyms

malice

vsbastardry

54 6.3

A wish to hurt someone or make them suffer

is broader, combining that intent with dishonest or contemptible acts

ruthlessness

vsbastardry

9 7.3

To show no pity or kindness to reach a goal

is broader, adding unfairness and dishonesty on top of harshness

meanness

vsbastardry

9 5.4

Being unkind on purpose to other people

includes unfair or dishonest actions and contemptible motives

unkindness

vsbastardry

3 4.1

Lack of care for other people

is harsher, blending that lack with dishonesty and contemptible ruthlessness

deviousness

vsbastardry

2 7.0

Secret actions that are dishonest or unfair to get what you want

adds a strong element of meanness and contemptible intent

knavery

vsbastardry

Archaic

2 9.9

Dishonest actions such as lying, cheating, or stealing

covers those dishonest acts plus unfair or ruthlessly mean conduct

maliciousness

vsbastardry

2 7.5

A wish to hurt or make other people suffer

includes harmful intent but also covers unfair or dishonest actions

devilry

vsbastardry

1 8.8

Behaviour that harms people or tricks them, sometimes as a prank

stresses contemptible unfairness and deliberate dishonesty instead of mischief

foulness

vsbastardry

1 7.9

Very bad and immoral behavior that harms other people

is similar but focuses more on unfair or ruthlessly mean conduct

deviltry

vsbastardry

Archaic

1 9.7

Bad behavior meant to annoy or hurt people

adds a stronger sense of unfairness and ruthless immorality

spitefulness

vsbastardry

1 7.4

A wish to hurt, upset, or annoy other people

covers those motives but also includes unfair or dishonest behaviour

beastliness

vsbastardry

1 8.7

Cruel or very mean behavior towards other people

is broader by including dishonest and contemptible motives as well

roguery

vsbastardry

Archaic

1 8.8

Playful but sometimes dishonest behavior that annoys people

focuses more on contemptible, unfair, or ruthlessly mean behaviour

ungentleness

vsbastardry

1 8.2

A harsh, unkind way of speaking or acting

is stronger, involving deliberate unfairness or dishonest cruelty

unscrupulousness

vsbastardry

8.8

A habit of ignoring right and wrong and being dishonest to get what you want

emphasises unfair or mean behaviour as well as moral failure

meanspiritedness

vsbastardry

Offensive

7.9

Being unkind and cruel to other people on purpose

is wider, covering more serious unfair or ruthless conduct as well

uncharitableness

vsbastardry

8.6

A lack of kindness or willingness to help others

is more contemptible, adding dishonesty and ruthless unfair behaviour

Antonyms

honorable

253 3.7

A person who behaves in a morally good way and deserves respect

virtuous

35 4.3

Being morally good and doing what is right

How Dishonest

villainy

16 8.1

bastardry

Offensive

9.8

dishonesty

46 3.2

Surface Forms

bastardry singular

bastardries plural

Morphology

bastardry = bastard (semi-transparent) = bastard + ry

The formation is the same (bastard + -ry), but the sense shifts from a legal/status sense to evaluative or behavioral sense (‘villainous conduct’), so the relation is inferable but involves a pragmatic extension.

Etymology

The word bastardry also means unfair or cruel 'behavior' because people began using bastard as a strong insult for a bad person, and so bastardry came to mean mean or dishonest acts.