variants
or deviltry
1
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
children always getting into some devilry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorcery
the power to control natural forces through supernatural means
superstitious villagers who were quick to attribute an unexpected occurrence to devilry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devilry
Dancing spirits, dressed in Victorian-era garb, stir up devilry as the night unfolds.
—
Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
If Michael Jackson moonwalked so that Prince could show us the face of God with his brain-melting 2007 set, the NFL’s reaction to Fox’s inspired bit of devilry set the stage for the league’s eventual takeover of the American psyche.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Madcap technical devilry, along with a jestful sense of humor, embroiders the edges of his endlessly replayable mix.
—Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
Maybe, Nicholas comes to think, what bedevils him is not a medical condition—the sort of thing a physician can properly diagnose—but the devilry of Pan.
—Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
As shown in his previous films, Eggers’ sensibility has roots not in contemporary horror but in stories from centuries past that become vivid and febrile, alive with an insidious devilry that inches under your skin.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024
That’s enough devilry to explain at least much of Haiti’s challenges without resorting to tales of satanic influence.
—Matthew Brown, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024
Shyamalan, to be fair, has lost none of his compositional devilry; notice his bisecting of the screen with clean vertical lines—the trunk of a tree, or the edge of a shower curtain, behind which somebody may or may not lurk.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2023
Suddenly, modernists were jockeying to impose some glass-and-steel devilry atop the old dame.
—Shawn McCreesh, Curbed, 17 Aug. 2021
Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
If Michael Jackson moonwalked so that Prince could show us the face of God with his brain-melting 2007 set, the NFL’s reaction to Fox’s inspired bit of devilry set the stage for the league’s eventual takeover of the American psyche.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Madcap technical devilry, along with a jestful sense of humor, embroiders the edges of his endlessly replayable mix.
—Pitchfork, 30 Sep. 2025
Maybe, Nicholas comes to think, what bedevils him is not a medical condition—the sort of thing a physician can properly diagnose—but the devilry of Pan.
—Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
As shown in his previous films, Eggers’ sensibility has roots not in contemporary horror but in stories from centuries past that become vivid and febrile, alive with an insidious devilry that inches under your skin.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Dec. 2024
That’s enough devilry to explain at least much of Haiti’s challenges without resorting to tales of satanic influence.
—Matthew Brown, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024
Shyamalan, to be fair, has lost none of his compositional devilry; notice his bisecting of the screen with clean vertical lines—the trunk of a tree, or the edge of a shower curtain, behind which somebody may or may not lurk.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2023
Suddenly, modernists were jockeying to impose some glass-and-steel devilry atop the old dame.
—Shawn McCreesh, Curbed, 17 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilry
Noun
-
The La Costa Canyon High School Theatre Department invites the community to an evening of laughter, music, and medieval mischief with this year’s spring musical Monty Python’s Spamalot.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
His old partner in mischief Charles Steinmuller floated somewhere between exciting and scary.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The sword-and-sorcery title grossed over $68M worldwide, coming to be appreciated as a cult classic, and spawned the sequel Conan the Destroyer (1984).—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
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The figure of an older woman working alone in a forest hovel inevitably brings some kind of sorcery to mind, but Hjorth’s earlier novels haven’t made too much of the suggestion.—
Elaine Blair,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
-
Johnson did, reportedly, resort to witchcraft—a protection spell over the restaurant, and a curse on Aghajanian.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Lang plays the antagonist, a bitter Alpine waiter whose family recipe for Grappa involves alchemy and witchcraft.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Anxieties about overconsumption and environmental degradation lie beneath the playfulness.—
Pamela Chelin,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
-
As an actor, Lena Maria approaches each role with curiosity, playfulness, and sincere commitment.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The humble captain Alex Karaban turned down a tough look for a better one from his freshman, and Mullins made magic.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devilry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilry. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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