1
as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
a delightful young woman whose espièglerie and sophisticated wit make her a favorite party guest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
a femme fatale with a penchant for sophisticated espièglerie that men found irresistible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espièglerie
Noun
-
There’s a playfulness, there’s a twinkle in the eye, there’s a sort of tongue in the cheek to that sort of tradition.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026 -
In an era where trust in leadership is at an all-time low, playfulness is a competitive advantage.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
He was charged with with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
For audiences, the echo chamber that develops in the villas can seem debilitating to a possible reconciliation, but Walberg says that there are invariably a few authentic souls whose support is sincere rather than a tactic to get them into mischief.—
Todd Gilchrist,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Social media users can’t get enough of Chico’s antics, as many lauded his mischievousness.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Soon, the America’s Got Talent stage descended into pure chaos, with Cowell and Mandel showcasing their innate mischievousness before the latter turned his attention toward his fellow judges.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
When the stars are in full celebration mode, hob-nobbing and sipping cocktails, what really happens behind the scenes and during commercial breaks?—
Antonia Blyth,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Vanlab includes a portable single-hob induction cooker that campers can plug directly into the PV5's electrical socket to take advantage of the van's vehicle-to-load capability.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Feb. 2026
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
“Espièglerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espi%C3%A8glerie. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
