1
as in monkey
an appealingly mischievous person
you little rascal, I saw you snitching some hors d'oeuvres even though our guests haven't even arrived yet
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2
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
some cold-blooded rascal had set the barn afire
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Recent Examples of rascal
Till then, the always-in-hot-water antics of CIA attorney/reluctant spy Owen Hendricks (Centineo) keep us engaged and curious over how the troublemaking rascal is going to get out of another mess he’s made.
—
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
Orange cats have earned an online reputation for being chaotic, energetic rascals.
—Gayoung Lee, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
Eventually, Sergei — now going by Kraven — begins knocking off a growing list of poachers, corporate rascals and international kingpins.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Dec. 2024
Yep, this little rascal figured out how to twist and press the hose to interrupt Mary’s shower time.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rascal
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
Orange cats have earned an online reputation for being chaotic, energetic rascals.
—Gayoung Lee, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024
Eventually, Sergei — now going by Kraven — begins knocking off a growing list of poachers, corporate rascals and international kingpins.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Dec. 2024
Yep, this little rascal figured out how to twist and press the hose to interrupt Mary’s shower time.
—Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rascal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rascal
Noun
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Both Judy and the monkey lost their mothers at young ages, except Dr. Watson copes by caring for people while Judy pushes them away.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
1 June 2025
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High-profile cases in recent years include a monkey torture ring originating in Indonesia which was exposed and dismantled in 2023.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Perhaps this is why it was never required viewing in my household; there was no darker notion than our hero potentially being a villain.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
24 May 2025
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But the new villain is smarter than the IMF assumed, and the mission has disastrous results.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Assign a devil’s advocate to challenge views and ensure richer discussions. 6.—
Nuala Walsh,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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Mahnaz’s son is a Tasmanian devil spinning his ticking time bomb energy into entrepreneurial pursuits (running a gambling ring at school), bullying classmates and yelling at any adult that interferes with his forcefield.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, Conner was still battling his brute of a blue cat.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
21 May 2025
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Then comes the arrival of General Zod and his two primary compatriots – a warrior woman and a silent hulking brute – who do battle with Superman around the city, causing much destruction and threatening the life of Lois Lane and her Daily Planet coworkers.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The message of Bring Her Back may be that grief is the real monster.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
30 May 2025
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Almost anyone 18 and older that appears onscreen is a monster here, and anyone younger is either prey or a means to an end.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
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Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Noun
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Or even those Californians, such as many in San Francisco and Los Angeles, who are just fed up with the perception that California is soft on criminals.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
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To boost deportations, immigration officials have detained workers at their homes and jobs — a method that, in the past, had been reserved for only the most violent criminals.—
Ana Ley,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Like a Dickensian Andy Capp, Johnson is an uber-charming rogue, an everyman bluesy belter whose winking humor with a hint of the scoundrel are not entirely unlike Scott’s demeanor, though each man’s vocals, inflection and stage presence are/were clearly their own.—
Katherine Turman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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In the first, Trump treated a moral hero as an ungrateful scoundrel.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rascal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rascal. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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