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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
  • Neverson was charged with a felony count of second-degree mischief for an unrelated disturbance.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
  • In a nicely balanced performance, Alejandra Villanueva’s Mistress Quickly, the play’s go-between and overseer of mischief, embodies the free and easy spirit of Simon’s production.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of mischief
Noun
  • For a few hours, the disappearance was fodder for office jokes, Mélanie Brinbaum, Nestlé’s European head of marketing and consumer communications, tells Fortune.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 July 2026
  • Poor Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are back in the mix, reprising their X-Men roles, and somehow, Channing Tatum is Gambit, like, for real and not as a joke.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • The tradition dates to Glasgow, where placing bright orange traffic cones atop public statues began as a late-night prank in the 1980s before evolving into an unofficial symbol of the country’s irreverent humor.
    — Leah Willingham, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Baudrillard is playing a little textual prank on us, inserting the simulacrum of a quotation into a book about simulacra.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of prank
Noun
  • There is a heaviness and sorrow to that wise, ingenious goddess that obscured the character’s power and playfulness—a choice made by Nolan, no doubt to emphasize his dark themes.
    — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • But Barley’s playfulness began to reemerge in May 2024, when a 4-day-old Pekin duckling named Louie arrived, thanks to a Facebook post from an elementary school teacher looking to rehome two ducklings.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 13 July 2026
Definition of playfulness
Noun
  • How was Clements able to tailor his writing for a wide audience but still give them plenty of laughs?
    — William Earl, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • Her Onslaught costar Drew Starkey broke out into a shocked laugh.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • The trick is to raise it anyway, at every age, for whatever chapter comes next.
    — Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2026
  • When Not To Use It As clever as this trick is, experts caution against trying to stretch it beyond its intended purpose.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 25 July 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 27 Jul. 2026.

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