Synonyms of impish

impish

adjective

ˈim-pish 

as in mischievous

tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness

the gang of impish children ran into the street, utterly oblivious to the traffic

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mischievous
• wicked
• playful
• roguish
• puckish
• prankish
• waggish
• pixie
• sly
• rascally
• naughty
• devilish
• pixieish
• knavish
• tricksy
• elvish
• happy
• arch
• cunning
• scampish
• whimsical
• coy
• frolicsome
• lively
• teasing
• lighthearted
• kittenish
• frisky
• antic
• espiègle
• coltish
• sportful
• leprechaunish
• spirited
• wily
• energetic
• sportive
• sprightly
• crafty
• artful
• tricky
• gay
• troublemaking
• trickish
• misbehaving
• pestering
• riling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• grave
• solemn
• stern
• grim
• sober
• staid
• sedate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of impish

When Pirog played a flashy line, which was often, Vile let out a cackle, an impish, cowpoke whoopee ti-yi-yo. — Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 8 June 2026

The impish half-smile that irritates opponents eventually returns to his face, though. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026

The finding speaks to the cleverness of Kea (Nestor notabilis), mountain-dwelling parrots with a reputation for impish intelligence. — Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 2026

Like the impish anti-romance that crumbles around it, the movie’s twist is both transgressive enough to be pleased with itself and also rooted in a reality that refuses to be dismissed as a bad joke. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2026