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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For all the mortal mischief a nuclear weapons facility could whip up, there is very little radiation risk associated with the job of enriching uranium-235 up to the level of 90% purity needed to produce a bomb.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
24 June 2025
-
The suspects could face charges for criminal mischief and felony theft valued at $1 million or more, according to authorities.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Her spirit, her fire, her talent, her leadership, her laugh — unforgettable.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
17 June 2025
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Y'all gave me a good laugh this morning, so thanks for that!—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Noun
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During their chat, the conversation turned to some of their less savory SNL jokes, including pranks behind the scenes.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
20 June 2025
-
Spring break is around the corner, and every parent knows the challenge of keeping kids entertained without resorting to handing over their smartphone for an endless scroll of prank videos.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
Sports officials have been the target of jokes and ire from fans for as long as sports have existed.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
True to the Housefull world, Housefull 5 is a no-brainer, full of slapstick comedy, vulgar and suggestive dialogues and mostly unfunny jokes.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
This isn't the first time the former Sports Illustrated model has shared parenting tips and tricks.—
Clare Fisher,
People.com,
23 June 2025
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The magic trick is that Sunny gradually learned how to distinguish its POV from the characters’, showing empathy not only for the Gang’s victims, but also the Gang itself.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 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 2 Jul. 2025.
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