as in trick
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
as a prank, several students managed to change all the classroom clocks to different times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prank
The teens had been toilet-papering Jason Hughes' home in Gainesville, Georgia, when the prank took a turn for the worse.
—
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
It was supposed to be a silly prank.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The family of a Hall County teacher killed in what investigators say was a prank gone wrong is asking authorities to drop charges against the teens involved.
—Jamal Goss, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Five North Hall High students were arrested after going to math teacher Jason Hughes’ Gainesville home armed with toilet paper to carry out a long-standing prank tradition.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prank
Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
It was supposed to be a silly prank.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
The family of a Hall County teacher killed in what investigators say was a prank gone wrong is asking authorities to drop charges against the teens involved.
—Jamal Goss, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Five North Hall High students were arrested after going to math teacher Jason Hughes’ Gainesville home armed with toilet paper to carry out a long-standing prank tradition.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prank
Noun
-
The only trick now is for the league to get a team to the final Monday night of the season and actually cut down the nets.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Eating a balanced diet should do the trick for the majority.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And the staff are available up to nine hours a day to lead on-property animal rescue adventures and oversee sand-castle building on the two private beaches.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The Leo moon sparks your restless desires for fun and adventure.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Aqua Expeditions Specializing in lavish small‑ship voyages to some of the planet’s most pristine and remote waters, Aqua Expeditions’ newest vessel, Aqua Lares, is a 77‑meter expedition superyacht designed for adventurous travelers who crave a high dose of comfort with their outdoor escapades.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The show is also virtually devoid of romantic escapades, a good thing since Dumas’ novel is filled with a lot of sentimental claptrap about fighting for defenseless women’s honor or seducing virtuous maidens or going to war due to the physical beauty of a monarch.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While the senator comes to the position after more than a dozen years in Congress, and with the management experience of running an expanding family plumbing business in Oklahoma, he has not been seen as a key force in immigration issues.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
This creates a seamless control experience, where machines respond instantly to human actions.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
According to Baumgartner, the decision stemmed from network concerns that the gag could confuse viewers or suggest a storyline involving Kevin.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
-
But what was served up were stale, pale sketches that seemed to have been exhumed from some old codger’s book of gags from 19 bloody 50!—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The three-course experience begins with starter options like za’atar focaccia with chile-olive tapenade, piquillo tahini fip with crudité and pita, and smoked salmon carpaccio with caper relish and everything-bagel gremolata.—
Imelda García,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Trattoria ZaZa specializes in Roman-style pizza al taglio, hearty rectangles accented by everything from bacon to capers.—
Bob Carlton,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prank. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
