as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
friends had left the risqué message on his voice mail as a practical joke
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Recent Examples of practical joke
For anyone who has ever struggled to learn the notoriously difficult Ottoman language—sometimes described as a practical joke played on historians—forcing it on a generation of schoolchildren might seem like the quickest way for Erdogan to destroy his popularity (and the Ottoman Empire’s as well).
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Nick Danforth, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2015
Each birth anniversary, there’s a well-meaning but hurtful practical joke.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
Each birth anniversary, there's a well-meaning but hurtful practical joke.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Ancient Romans and Celts celebrated a festival of practical jokes and pranks around the time of the March equinox.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for practical joke 
Nick Danforth, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2015
Each birth anniversary, there’s a well-meaning but hurtful practical joke.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
Each birth anniversary, there's a well-meaning but hurtful practical joke.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Ancient Romans and Celts celebrated a festival of practical jokes and pranks around the time of the March equinox.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for practical joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical joke
Noun
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After the clip went viral, many Instagram users lauded the creativity of the prank, leading to more than 100 comments so far.Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
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One of the rare sequels that does the original justice, Home Alone 2 raises the stakes with more pranks, more laughs, and a more classic Christmas setting.Janey Tracey, EW.com, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
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There’s also Image Wand which does similar pic-making tricks in the Notes app and Genmoji, the custom emoji characters which are also based on prompts from you.David Phelan, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
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Our fee-avoidance is more than a few money-saving tricks.Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Egypt's extended experience in peacekeeping missions in Africa and elsewhere provides crucial support to the counterterrorism capabilities of the Somali armed forces and the concerted efforts of the Somali government and people to rebuild their country.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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This change, among others, was implemented to simplify and focus on improving the author’s experience and the ultimate product – a beautiful book.Serenity Gibbons, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Located on the picturesque shores of Leesville Lake in Carrollton, the camp has become synonymous with fun, adventure, and the development of lifelong skills.Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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But the area prides itself on its thirst for adventure and outdoor action, and the area surrounding Lake Annecy is an active traveler’s heaven.Michael Venutolo-Mantovani, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near practical joke
Cite this Entry
“Practical joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical%20joke. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
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