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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

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
  • According to Florida Department of Corrections records, Antoine was on a four-year probation for a 2024 criminal mischief felony charge.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Election deniers on the ballot in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin could make mischief in 2028.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of mischief
Noun
  • The group-chat joke lands because many young people know exactly what’s in their checking account, and still want to make room for what makes life feel good.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Read this book for hilarious jokes, different types of friends, and fresh starts.
    — Kavya Dhillon, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • The set includes a variety of items, including a new book entitled Slappy’s Book of Pranks, which includes directions for over 20 different pranks, Slappy trivia, a history of pranking, jokes and an introduction by Stine himself.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • That was also when many of the brand’s signature aesthetics — the black-and-white [as] logo, bumps and interstitials that break the fourth wall, and legendary April Fool’s Day pranks — began to take shape.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of prank
Noun
  • By ditching all-wheel drive for pure rear-wheel drive, VW is hoping driving dynamics, tactile steering feedback and chassis playfulness means more to modern buyers than raw neck-snapping speed.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2026
  • There is romance and melancholy, playfulness and despair, all happening at once.
    — PhotoVogue, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of playfulness
Noun
  • Additionally, Richard Kind as the mayor’s put-upon press secretary also generates laughs.
    — Miles Beller, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • On the set of Ryan Murphy’s retelling of that story, however, his cast managed to get in lots of laughs.
    — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • My father was the man of tricks, who sat for an hour mining a watermelon with a circular spoon, who carved the rind into a castle.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Teoxane that pulls a bit of a magic trick; metallic and foil eye shadow sticks with a magnetic design from Danessa Myricks Beauty; and a new way to perform one of plastic surgery’s most popular procedures, breast augmentation, from Motiva.
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 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
  • Arch Manning's joking comments at a news conference about a fake video of coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe erupted in controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Indeed, at lunch, instead of separating into groups to eat, all 16 participants form one mega table and spend the half-hour joking and laughing together.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 31 Aug. 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 22 Sep. 2026.

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