1
: a specific injury or damage attributed to a particular agent
the polished floor … often causes mischiefs—bruises, sprains, dislocations—
Herbert Spencer
Herbert Spencer2
: a cause or source of harm, evil, or irritation
especially
: a person who causes mischief
He's a real mischief to his family.
3
a
: action that annoys or irritates
Halloween mischiefs
b
: the quality or state of being mischievous : mischievousness
had mischief in his eyes
Synonyms
Examples of mischief in a Sentence
It's hard to keep him out of mischief.
the children claimed that setting off a firecracker was harmless mischief, but they got a lecture anyway
Recent Examples on the Web
He was charged with second-degree assault and criminal mischief.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023
Fenton, 32, was charged with third-degree arson, third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree assault.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 11 Nov. 2023
The mischief’s still there, but alongside it, darkening its colors, is the shadow of experience.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
Grace Jabbari was briefly put under arrest at a New York City police station Wednesday evening and charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief.
—Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
By the finale, the god of mischief had honed his skills to control time at will.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 13 Nov. 2023
In the meantime, your girl will have to court mischief to eat or go hungry.
—Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023
Besides his bond with Mobius, the god of mischief also develops a strained relationship with a female variant, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino).
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2023
Although most incidents have occurred on public property, the New York Police Department said officers arrested two people Wednesday night on suspicion of criminal mischief for allegedly tearing down kidnap posters on private property.
—Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2023
Fenton, 32, was charged with third-degree arson, third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree assault.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 11 Nov. 2023
The mischief’s still there, but alongside it, darkening its colors, is the shadow of experience.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023
Grace Jabbari was briefly put under arrest at a New York City police station Wednesday evening and charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief.
—Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2023
By the finale, the god of mischief had honed his skills to control time at will.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 13 Nov. 2023
In the meantime, your girl will have to court mischief to eat or go hungry.
—Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023
Besides his bond with Mobius, the god of mischief also develops a strained relationship with a female variant, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino).
—Ken Makin, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2023
Although most incidents have occurred on public property, the New York Police Department said officers arrested two people Wednesday night on suspicion of criminal mischief for allegedly tearing down kidnap posters on private property.
—Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mischief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing mischief
Dictionary Entries Near mischief
Cite this Entry
“Mischief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mischief. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
mischief
noun
mis·chief
ˈmis-chəf 
ˈmish-
1
2
: a person or animal who causes mischief
3
: mischievous conduct or quality
a child gets into mischief
had mischief in their eyes
More from Merriam-Webster on mischief
Nglish: Translation of mischief for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of mischief for Arabic Speakers
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