as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a knavish bunch of urchins racing pell-mell through the marketplace
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Recent Examples of knavish
Wells could be playful, knavish, and his tone here is one of urgency and optimism about the distribution of information.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2021
The same people who are now telling us that only Republican-voting obscurantists, ignorant deplorables and knavish right-wing media pundits are raising doubts about the vaccine would have been oozing skepticism.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 12 July 2021
BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2021
The same people who are now telling us that only Republican-voting obscurantists, ignorant deplorables and knavish right-wing media pundits are raising doubts about the vaccine would have been oozing skepticism.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 12 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knavish
Adjective
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Burnett pauses, considers the question, and then flashes a mischievous grin.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
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Dave, feeling mischievous, ushered them towards a window seat and what, on the face of it, seemed a prime spot.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The film tells the true and twisted tale of a deceiver of land and folk, who, defying her birth as a woman, comported herself as a man and committed many a wicked deed.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2026
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In a sport where pucks often take wicked, seemingly inexplicable bounces and the area in front of and around a goal crease can look like chaos.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hudson’s performance kicks into a surprising dramatic gear, the actress’s playful Milwaukee accent settling into a relatively somber key, grappling with dreams dashed.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
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From minimalist finishes to playful graphics and elevated textures, these manicures set the tone for the year ahead, proving that short nails aren’t a fallback—they’re the focus.—
Kat Suico,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knavish. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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