1
as in devilment
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
the children claimed that setting off a firecracker was harmless mischief, but they got a lecture anyway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
your mother was full of mischief as a child, believe it or not
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in monkey
an appealingly mischievous person
he's a little mischief who means no harm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mischief
The best children’s books mirror the thrill, terror, mischief, and humor of, well, being a kid.
—
Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2025
Pharmaceutical brands and fast-food/casual dining restaurants upped their spend, as the former category continues to invest in TV despite the occasional rumblings of Beltway mischief.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
One activist told a local news station that he was warned by Florida Highway Patrol troopers that he could be arrested and charged with criminal mischief if caught replacing the rainbow art again.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The cosmos is stirring up a little mischief tonight!
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2025
Pharmaceutical brands and fast-food/casual dining restaurants upped their spend, as the former category continues to invest in TV despite the occasional rumblings of Beltway mischief.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2025
One activist told a local news station that he was warned by Florida Highway Patrol troopers that he could be arrested and charged with criminal mischief if caught replacing the rainbow art again.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The cosmos is stirring up a little mischief tonight!
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischief
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Her rats' playfulness motivated her and eased feeling of loneliness, while her cats' soothing weight on her chest calmed her anxiety.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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The film is alive with stylistic playfulness.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The trip then took the monkeys to Dallas and finally to Nebraska with the help of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Wildlife Confiscations Network.—
TJ Macias,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
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Casati Stampa di Soncino inhabited Peggy Guggenheim’s former home Palazzo Venier dei Leoni and infused Venice with 1920s glamour, wild parties with big band music and monkeys and filled it with famous guests like her lover, poet Gabriele D’Annunzio and visual artist Man Ray.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Soon, the America’s Got Talent stage descended into pure chaos, with Cowell and Mandel showcasing their innate mischievousness before the latter turned his attention toward his fellow judges.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The term Jab Jab itself comes from the French term for devil.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
23 Aug. 2025
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In Michelangelo’s Last Judgment a devil drags one of the damned to hell by his testicles (which sounds like heaven to me).—
Michael Robbins,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Jew haters have long alleged the wickedness of Israel and its ties with powerful elites across the world.—
Michael S. Roth,
Time,
6 Aug. 2025
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Speaking after him, another pastor compared Austin to Nineveh, a city associated with wickedness in the Old Testament.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
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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
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As shown in his previous films, Eggers’ sensibility has roots not in contemporary horror but in stories from centuries past that become vivid and febrile, alive with an insidious devilry that inches under your skin.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
2 Dec. 2024
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That’s enough devilry to explain at least much of Haiti’s challenges without resorting to tales of satanic influence.—
Matthew Brown,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Mischief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischief. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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