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Updated June 2026
To coerce or trick someone into doing something, especially to force someone to join a ship's crew through kidnapping or deception. Originates from the practice of press-ganging sailors to Shanghai.
“The unsuspecting workers were shanghaied into signing contracts they hadn't fully read.”
/ˈʃæŋ.haɪ/
shang·hai
Not typically used in Wordle due to 8-letter length; contains the uncommon GH pattern
Worth 15 points; the H provides good scoring potential on premium squares
Look up shanghai in an authoritative dictionary for full definitions, pronunciation, and etymology.
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