1
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
tossing lighted firecrackers around is not the kind of harmless waggery that it might seem
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laugh
something said or done to cause laughter
Will Rogers' homespun waggeries struck a chord with audiences during the Great Depression
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3
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
her innocent little waggeries usually involved whoopee cushions or fake snakes in cans
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Recent Examples of waggery
To ask you to step into the parlor was Maggie’s favorite waggery, the divisions of her cabin being purely imaginary.
—
Gertrude A. Zerr, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Gertrude A. Zerr, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggery
Noun
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There’s something about these wordless intuitive bonds, full of mischief and love, that feel like magic.—
Kelli Bender,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
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Nelson was charged with explosives or incendiary devices use during felony, criminal mischief and criminal attempt to commit a Class 3 felony, authorities said.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Even if real life divorce is not that funny, this comic take on divorce is set to offer some welcome laughs.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
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Whatever explains the Trump-Putin bond, acclaiming it as a brilliant, Kissinger-like diplomatic pivot doesn’t pass the laugh test.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Fagan, who died in 1969, wrote about his prank repeatedly in his column, which was called Mill Ends—named for the bits and pieces of wood left over at a lumber mill.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
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Keith may have been trying to communicate resentment or exert control through his pranks.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Conan O'Brien Named Host Of The 2025 Oscars By Megan Cartwright Deputy Entertainment Editor Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 Conan O'Brien revealed on his podcast that part of his Oscars promo joke was cut by the Academy.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
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The response to Glaser’s hosting gig on social media appeared to be overwhelmingly positive, after a show that included jokes about Diddy, Selena Gomez, Wicked and an Adam Sandler/Timothee Chalamet bit that had a callback earlier this month at the Oscars.—
Katie Atkinson,
Billboard,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This chip also drives many of the phone's artificial intelligence features, and allows the Pixel 9a to take advantage of all the same AI camera tricks introduced on the Pixel 9 smartphones in 2024.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
19 Mar. 2025
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This cat's trick shouldn't be too much of a surprise as many videos of felines opening doors have flooded social media in recent years.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
18 Mar. 2025
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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He is played by Ethan Hawke, a mainstay of Linklater’s movies, in a remarkable amalgam of bitterness, exuberance, drollery, tenderness, frustration, and tremendous artistic passion.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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Matthew Rankin’s latest surreal comedy, between hilarious drollery and bitter disillusionment.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
18 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Waggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggery. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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