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
His favorite thing to do was to pull practical jokes on our manager, Blake.
—
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 19 July 2024
Baseball players are notorious for playing practical jokes on one another.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
His latest film is a feature-length practical joke that centers around a false origin story for a 42-year-old song whose relevance only fades with each passing year.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2024
Dogs shot for no reason (and then used as props for gruesome practical jokes by the EMTs).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for practical joke 
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 19 July 2024
Baseball players are notorious for playing practical jokes on one another.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
His latest film is a feature-length practical joke that centers around a false origin story for a 42-year-old song whose relevance only fades with each passing year.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2024
Dogs shot for no reason (and then used as props for gruesome practical jokes by the EMTs).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for practical joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical joke
Noun
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Some prank culture now is short-attention-span theater.—
Andrew R. Chow,
TIME,
16 Jan. 2025
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Dylan's vision was a kind of variety show gone wild, packing the evening with songs, costumes, poetry, and pranks, much of it caught on film.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
EW.com,
11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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When working with one or a few rats, snacks like nuts, seeds, and fruit often do the trick.—
Laura Bradley,
Vulture,
17 Jan. 2025
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Magness recommended a trick backed by psychology: Use second- and third-person pronouns when talking to yourself, instead of first-person pronouns.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Source: Glyn Evans Sometimes, trips come with sensory experiences that other travelers don’t normally have.—
MaryLou Costa, contributor,
CNBC,
22 Jan. 2025
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As a coach who works with thousands of Gen Z (and Gen Alpha) folks each year, my experience of these generations defies derogatory stereotypes that many believe.—
Chris Westfall,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Explore Volusia outings: Volusia County’s Environmental Management Division sponsors free outdoor adventures to acquaint residents with the county’s diverse natural habitats and land management practices.—
Joe Rassel,
Orlando Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2025
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Thanks for tagging along with me on this five-month adventure.—
Stewart Mandel,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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 30 Jan. 2025.
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