waggery

noun

ˈwa-gə-rē How to pronounce waggery (audio)
Definition of waggerynext
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 joke
something said or done to cause laughter Will Rogers' homespun waggeries struck a chord with audiences during the Great Depression

Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggery
  1. mischief
  2. joke
  3. prank
  4. playfulness
  5. laugh
  6. trick
  7. devilment
  8. joking
Noun
  • View this post on Instagram Vargas was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center), and charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and criminal mischief.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Larry Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, among other charges, New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said late Friday.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of mischief
Noun
  • There are moments, say at a fan’s family home in Casablanca, when a joke gets lost in translation.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
  • And then there’s the Ren Faire episode, where a McPoyle brothers’ cameo portends a closing joke so distressing my innocent little brain rejected all the warnings of its arrival.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Root had also worked with Rhys on Perry Mason and was quite literally along for the ride with his behind-the-scenes pranks on that show.
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The prank consisted of 50 individuals simultaneously ordering a Waymo on the same dead-end street, creating a pileup that made the company disable rides until the next morning.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of prank
Noun
  • Really, the challenge as an actor is forgetting all the playfulness, ambition and tone around it, or even the books and the research and just playing the truth of it.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Affection, physical touch, flirting and playfulness become less frequent, replaced by stress, conflict and growing resentment.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of playfulness
Noun
  • Gone was the terror of wondering if the piece that was about to air was going to get big enough laughs from the live audience.
    — Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But that blend of raucous laughs (OK, well, some raucous laughs, some mere attempts at them) and real world concerns makes for an uneasy watch, ping-ponging between moods and tones in unpredictable ways.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • Messi was instrumental in Argentina’s route to the final, opening his World Cup with a hat-trick against Algeria and scoring in each of his team’s matches up to and including the round of 16.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The key manufacturing trick was direct ink writing, a form of 3D printing.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of devilment
Noun
  • Back in December 1968, Dolan wrote a joking column about the earlier Lake Worth monster, from way back in 1947.
    — Star-Telegram staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
  • Oh, but the Padres manager was ready with the joking last night.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Definition of joking

Browse Nearby Words

waggeries
waggery
wagging
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Cite this Entry

“Waggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggery. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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