mischief

noun

mis·​chief ˈmis-chəf 

ˈmish-

1

: a specific injury or damage attributed to a particular agent

the polished floor … often causes mischiefs—bruises, sprains, dislocations

—Herbert Spencer

2

: a cause or source of harm, evil, or irritation

especially : a person who causes mischief

He's a real mischief to his family.

3

a

: action that annoys or irritates

Halloween mischiefs

b

: the quality or state of being mischievous : mischievousness

had mischief in his eyes

Synonyms

• devilishness
• devilment
• devilry
• deviltry
• diablerie
• espièglerie
• hob
• impishness
• knavery
• mischievousness
• rascality
• roguery
• roguishness
• shenanigan(s)
• waggery
• waggishness
• wickedness

Examples of mischief in a Sentence

It's hard to keep him out of mischief.

the children claimed that setting off a firecracker was harmless mischief, but they got a lecture anyway

Recent Examples on the Web

He was later convicted by a Rockland County Court of acting in a manner to injure a child and criminal mischief on June 3, 2024. —Elizabeth Pritchett, Fox News, 27 Feb. 2025

On Friday, police arrested Tedford on a felony criminal mischief charge in connection to the case. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025

Worse, water can leak, which can cause all sorts of mischief, from shorting out electrical circuitry to posing the novel threat to astronauts of drowning in deep space. —David Szondy, New Atlas, 11 Feb. 2025

The second boy, 17, faces charges of reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and criminal trespass. —Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English meschief, from Anglo-French, misfortune, hardship, from Old French meschever to come out badly, mes- + chief head, end — more at chief

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mischief

• malicious mischief

Kids Definition

mischief

noun

mis·​chief ˈmis-chəf 

ˈmish-

1

: injury sense 2, harm

2

: a person or animal who causes mischief

3

: mischievous conduct or quality

a child gets into mischief

had mischief in their eyes