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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diablerie
Noun
-
Brendon pleaded guilty for criminal mischief.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
21 Mar. 2026 -
Paul was arrested following the 2023 incident depicted in the video on misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to police.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
20 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
-
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
-
Often, the design’s playfulness obscures the protagonist’s malaise.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
As an actor, Lena Maria approaches each role with curiosity, playfulness, and sincere commitment.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
She was regarded as the female Christ by her followers but accused of witchcraft by outsiders.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Pay multiple people from the crafts site Etsy to perform tarot readings, lift any existing curses and otherwise engage in witchcraft.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 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
-
But the true magic was in the access.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The romance tropes are endless, and the magic is too.—
De Elizabeth,
Glamour,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
-
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
-
Pearl revels in wickedness, presenting a literary world in which a successful writer’s haughtiness is both encouraged and rewarded.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Dec. 2025
-
But despite this being the internet, there’s no wickedness being thrust around — everyone’s taking the chance to get in on a memeless rollout.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
25 Nov. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Diablerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diablerie. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
