1
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
the sort of frat-boy knaveries that become the stuff of campus legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
suspects some knavery going on in the political campaign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knavery
Noun
-
Brown was charged with misdemeanor misusing 911 — a charge one expert said is typically brought against prank callers, not those in a mental crisis.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Sep. 2025 -
Still, Shannon promised, no pranks this time, because the movie at hand is too important.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The punishment verdict comes one day after jurors found Raunaq Alam guilty of criminal mischief but not a hate crime for spray-painting anti-Israel graffiti on a wall at the Uncommon Church in Euless.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives largely focused on Paul's relationships and role as a mother, and also documented her troubles with the law in February 2023, when she was arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Thus, Last Rites tries a new trick, with the doll growing in size and chasing Judy down a hallway, in a sequence that is strangely reminiscent of Five Nights At Freddy's.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Grandma's favorite time-saving trick is to rely on the trusty the slow-cooker to make sweet, tender onions that require little to no stirring.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Naturally, such rascality didn't do overall fuel economy any favors; in fact, my average was just 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) over the course of 125 miles at the E 350's helm.—
Peter Nelson,
Ars Technica,
18 Apr. 2024
Noun
-
That’s flimflam, that’s roguery.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2022
-
His own father, famously, had been a confidence trickster, and le Carré was therefore all too well equipped to mount a lifelong investigation into the uses of roguery, not to mention sleights of hand, some of them amounting to a national disgrace.—
Anthony Lane,
The New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2020
Noun
-
Mustard and vinegar provide the devilment for a flavorful bite, particularly when topped with a scattering of scallions and paprika.—
SAVEUR Editors,
Saveur,
5 Feb. 2025
-
But even if truffles are beyond your pay grade, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in the sheer devilment portrayed in this informative and appetizing book.—
Eugenia Bone,
WSJ,
10 July 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Knavery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knavery. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share