devilment

noun

ˈde-vᵊl-mənt How to pronounce devilment (audio)
Definition of devilmentnext
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm his devilment at school remains the stuff of local legend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 devilment 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilment
  1. mischief
  2. playfulness
Noun
  • Police arrested the pair on charges of burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, possession of burglar's tools, disorderly conduct and other offenses.
    — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Both face multiple charges -- including burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, violation of a local law, criminal tampering, disorderly conduct and possession of burglar's tools -- according to police.
    — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of mischief
Noun
  • Retro Entertaining Features Bring an element of playfulness outdoors with retro entertaining features like bar carts, lawn games, or even a back porch bar.
    — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
  • Rowland’s sense of playfulness is also more evident in the artwork chosen for the space (subjects include a spa bathrobe in the common area and a weenie roast above the coffee condiments).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of playfulness

Browse Nearby Words

devil-may-care
devilment
devilries
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Devilment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilment. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All