as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
the gang of impish children ran into the street, utterly oblivious to the traffic
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Recent Examples of impish
On a humid evening in May, Patricia Lockwood, who writes with the impish verve and provocative guilelessness of a peeing cupid, was scanning the menu at a Mexican restaurant near her home, in Savannah, Georgia.
—
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Jude is an erudite man of the people whose hyper-literate intellectualism is only matched by his Chaucer-like vulgarity, and his work has long reveled in an impish fascination with the relationship between art, labor, and technology.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2025
The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older, often hanging on handbags, backpacks and belt loops.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
The grid is a perfect romp of impish misdirection and original cluing, with an appropriately festive theme hidden in plain sight.
—Sam Corbin, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for impish
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Jude is an erudite man of the people whose hyper-literate intellectualism is only matched by his Chaucer-like vulgarity, and his work has long reveled in an impish fascination with the relationship between art, labor, and technology.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2025
The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older, often hanging on handbags, backpacks and belt loops.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
The grid is a perfect romp of impish misdirection and original cluing, with an appropriately festive theme hidden in plain sight.
—Sam Corbin, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for impish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impish
Adjective
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Tengbjerg, a fifty-one-year-old former pro soccer player from Denmark, is fit and trim, with a mischievous, no-nonsense brusqueness not generally associated with massage therapists.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude is run by the virulent and mischievous Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin).—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Both are wicked smart brainiacs on a tireless quest to do good in the world.—
Natasha Stoynoff,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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As the mystery unravels from multiple POVs, Alex’s kooky aunt Gladys (Amy Madigan) is revealed as the orchestrator of the tragedy — her fiery orange hair, nimble fingers, ghostly face and wicked crimson smile a memorable image that haunts the narrative.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Like sparkling citrus that feels like late-summer light, warm vanilla and orchard tones for autumn’s cozy neutrals, and playful gourmand notes that give glossy, indulgent energy.—
Allure Editors,
Allure,
10 Sep. 2025
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Known for vibrant color, upcycled materials, and a playful yet political spirit, his work captures the joy and resilience of migration stories.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impish. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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