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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
-
In this case, the cow’s curiosity (rather than any intent to cause mischief) created a memorable moment for both police and residents alike.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
In April 2018, Johnson was arrested for criminal mischief.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Part of me wanted to attribute this beautiful sorcery to extensions, but my beauty editor Spidey sense told me otherwise.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
19 Dec. 2025
-
The trippy visuals are reminiscent of Doctor Strange's sorcery of the Marvel movies as birds and buildings multiple and fold in on themselves.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
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
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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
-
Viral weddings and political controversy While witchcraft is an ancient practice and Etsy witches have existed online for years, interest in buying quick spells online surged in 2025 after several influencers praised their results.—
Pilar Melendez,
NBC news,
26 Dec. 2025
-
The Glinda alternative, Cherry Blossom Bubble ($48), isn’t quite as authentically connected to witchcraft, but then neither is Glinda.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That spirit of playfulness extends beyond the story itself and into the book’s visual world.—
Sarah Jones,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Somehow, the phone number in the matchbox has that surprise, that playfulness.—
Leonor C. Suárez,
Rolling Stone,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There are moments when great artists are won over by the magic of certain cities and then forever change the way that the world sees them.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
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There’s an equally eerie and intriguing magic that comes with venturing into the wilderness beneath the light of a full moon.—
The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devilry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilry. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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