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antic 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of anticnext
1
as in humorous
causing or intended to cause laughter antic shenanigans that made me nearly fall over with laughter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playful
given to good-natured joking or teasing an antic group of kids at summer camp

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

antic

2 of 2

noun

ˈan-tik How to pronounce antic (audio)
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke we'll have no more of your antics, so just settle down

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 antic
Adjective
Black comedy is among the hardest tones to nail, and if there was a single knowing wink from the actors or even a soupçon of exaggeration in the execution, the whole thing could simply become too tiresomely antic to be actually funny. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026 The grid of four tiles features an illustration of a fanciful townhouse, along with drawings inspired by the comic book Archie’s Madhouse and antic cells from Donald Duck and The Katzenjammer Kids. — Carolina A. Miranda, The New York Review of Books, 22 May 2026
Noun
Joe’s vigilante antics soon draw the ire of mob kingpin Giuseppe Falcone (Pacino) — this is the best name Besson could come up with — who confronts the killer priest in a confessional before vying to take him down. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Esmerelda’s become something like the Dwight Schrute of the series, with Impacciatore playing her scenes as a clownlike farce, but her antics don’t intersect with the rest of The Paper’s plotlines tonally or narratively. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for antic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for antic
  1. humorous
  2. playful
  3. prank
  4. comedic
  5. trick
  6. funny
  7. comical
  8. amusing
Adjective
  • Exclusives include Wouters & Hendrix, a 42-year-old brand based in Antwerp that specializes in organic, surreal and often humorous designs.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Why do some humorous attempts land perfectly while others fail?
    — Norbert Schwarz, Harvard Business Review, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of humorous
Adjective
  • The Moon enters Capricorn and your playful 5th house, inviting you toward hobbies, romance, creativity, and pleasure.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The shoe was elevated by a heel with a crystal cube design at the base, contributing a sense of glamour and a playful geometric aesthetic.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of playful
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
Adjective
  • But also tell me about infusing the character with some of your sense of humor and comedic timing.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Her family and church life remained opaque, but her bizarre comedic timing and magnetic onscreen presence turned her into everyone’s favorite reality-TV anti-hero.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of comedic
Noun
  • Also, that Frodo Baggins camera trick makes Katie look even tinier in the turret.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
  • If the extent of your lawn care consists of blowing leaves off a patio every now and then, a DeWalt leaf blower (or even a simple broom) will do the trick.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of trick
Adjective
  • And that is a very funny, exploitable premise on its surface.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • On Standby follows Sagit, a 33-year-old airport security screener whose brutally honest view of the world and chaotic personal life turn even the most ordinary interactions into painfully funny disasters.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of funny
Adjective
  • The project’s thoroughness would be almost comical were its subject not so stubbornly controversial, an emblem of all the contradictions embedded in who, exactly, Americans take themselves to be.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • In the second half, United’s defensive sloppiness only got worse and led to Brighton adding a second and third in almost comical fashion, gifting goals to Maxim De Cuyper and Pascal Gross in a five-minute spell.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of comical
Adjective
  • To filter a movie about the origins of a zombie/monster epidemic through the point of view of a hapless outsider is an amusing, if rather one-note, concept.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Fickell didn’t say anything too surprising, but the comments still made headlines — and drew an amusing response from Ash.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of amusing

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Cite this Entry

“Antic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/antic. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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