1
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
the boy, who was once filled with diablerie, grew up to be a staid and rather dull man
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorcery
the power to control natural forces through supernatural means
since the common folk had an unshakable belief in a personal devil, a charge of diablerie was taken seriously
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of diablerie
Groyperism is as much about fandom and diablerie as a set of principles.
—
Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diablerie
Noun
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Loki Loki is the Norse god of mischief and he’s known as a trickster—sometimes for good, sometimes a bit more devious.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Following the 2023 arrest, Paul was given misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Watch On Longing for the colorful tumbling force of fantastic '80s-era sci-fi sword-and-sorcery flicks that dominated multiplexes and mom-and-pop video rental shops in the Reagan years?—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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From brands like Rolex I’m expecting a bit more playfulness, especially in the color direction—nothing too radical in terms of form but enough to get people talking.—
Victoria Gomelsky,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
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Others will tell you that the day and its playfulness were inspired by an Egyptian legend.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Now, though, with the widespread circulation of magic manuals, grimoires, and related compendia—with the recording, on paper, of words, spells, histories, stories—witchcraft has taken an irreversible step into the exoteric realm.—
Kristen Roupenian,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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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
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Use your latent magic to shift your public persona as the moon and Pluto harmonize.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
6 Apr. 2026
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Kish won’t use magic during sermons.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
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Naturally, such rascality didn't do overall fuel economy any favors; in fact, my average was just 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) over the course of 125 miles at the E 350's helm.—
Peter Nelson,
Ars Technica,
18 Apr. 2024
Noun
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That’s how Trip Cullman’s taut, take-no-prisoners production plays it — the pulse is allegro, the casual tone spiked with gasp-inducing wickedness.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
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An opinion offered offhand suggests a secret wickedness that must be exorcised.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Diablerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diablerie. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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