Definition of mischief
1 : a specific injury or damage attributed to a particular agent the polished floor … often causes mischiefs — bruises, sprains, dislocations — Herbert Spencer
2 : a cause or source of harm, evil, or irritation; especially : a person who causes mischief He's a real mischief to his family.
3a : action that annoys or irritates Halloween mischiefsb : the quality or state of being mischievous : mischievousness had mischief in his eyes
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
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 of mischief from the Web
-
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler was arrested Tuesday night on misdemeanor charges of simple battery and criminal mischief, according to records from the Pinellas County, Florida Sheriff's Department.
-
Most of the vehicles are found within a few days and appear to be the taxi of choice between drug deals or other criminal mischief, police said.
-
This attribution issue offers tactical advantages for the Kremlin such as letting Russia make mischief in ways that are even more subtle than its assassins' signature polonium tea.
-
FacebookTwitterPinterest Read moreRead less1/12| Miss Inch's Summer Camp for Girls, The Parent Trap, 1961 Pro: insouciant air of innocent mischief.
-
Michael Tate Reed, 32, of Van Buren, Arkansas, was booked in the Pulaski County jail shortly after 7:30 a.m. on preliminary charges of defacing objects of public interest, criminal trespass and first-degree criminal mischief.
-
In addition to the December 2015 charges later dismissed, Beals pleaded guilty to a criminal mischief charge in a domestic violence case from May 2015.
-
These migratory mischief-makers can be found almost anywhere there's long grass or shrubbery, squawking and pecking at passersby to protect their mates.
-
A municipal court judge gave Looney one-year probation and fined him $100 for assault and $50 for malicious mischief.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mischief.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of mischief
Middle English meschief, from Anglo-French, misfortune, hardship, from Old French meschever to come out badly, mes- + chief head, end — more at chief
MISCHIEF Defined for English Language Learners
mischief
playDefinition of mischief for English Language Learners
-
: behavior or activity that is annoying but that is not meant to cause serious harm or damage
-
: a playful desire to cause trouble
-
: harmful behavior
MISCHIEF Defined for Kids
mischief
playDefinition of mischief for Students
1 : behavior or activity that annoys or bothers but is not meant to cause serious harm It was a typical school plan to keep us out of mischief. — Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder
2 : injury or damage caused by a person
Learn More about mischief
-
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mischief Spanish Central: Translation of mischief Nglish: Translation of mischief for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mischief for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up mischief? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!