espièglerie

noun

e-spye-glə-ˈrē How to pronounce espièglerie (audio)
Definition of espièglerienext
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

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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
  1. playfulness
  2. mischief
  3. mischievousness
  4. hob
  5. roguishness
  6. wickedness
  7. rascality
Noun
  • Wang said Pop Mart’s task today is not only to sell a collectible but to preserve a sense of playfulness that people can carry into adult life.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
  • When Hermès started in 1978, there was a clear ambition—to be as good as its competitors in technique but be different in creativity, materials and playfulness.
    — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of playfulness
Noun
  • Nicole Bottiglierivega Miami-Dade Corrections Nicole Bottiglierivega, 42, faces charges of third-degree grand theft, contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child, criminal mischief, and resisting an officer without violence.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • With modern elections often decided by extremely thin margins and billions of dollars sloshing through campaigns, both parties have ample incentives and opportunities to gain an edge through mischief involving third parties.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of mischief
Noun
  • Instead, Audi has built something that works remarkably well as everyday transportation while keeping a substantial reserve of mischievousness for those moments when an empty stretch of road appears.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The tension latent in Jobim and Regina’s working relationship gives their rendition a mischievousness that’s sorely missed in the monotony of Art Garfunkel’s version, or the twee precision of Susannah McCorkle’s.
    — Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 13 June 2026
Definition of mischievousness
Noun
  • The low-angle light plays hobs with conventional solar panels lying flat on a lander, but Blue Origin's Power Tower is designed to exploit the near-eternal sunset/sunrise.
    — David Szondy October 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The camper’s interior has also been electrified, with a modern induction hob replacing the original gas stove.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 June 2026
Definition of hob
Noun
  • The titular nomad needed, perhaps, an actor with a little more mischief and roguishness to sell his transformation from conman to folk hero (Harrison Ford, 55 at the time, may have been a good alternative).
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 July 2026
  • While the film grapples with Dexter’s (Sturgess) addictions and patience-testing roguishness toward her, Hathaway and director Lone Scherfig never land on a compelling reason for Emma to put up with it.
    — Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026
Definition of roguishness
Noun
  • Cathy’s treatment of Adam isn’t rooted in innate wickedness, as in Steinbeck’s novel, but personal experience.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Hartnett brings none of the wickedness that made his performance in Trap so much fun, just coming across as flat onscreen even as his character has to navigate some wild turns.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of wickedness
Noun
  • Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of rascality
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.

Browse Nearby Words

espiègle
espièglerie
espies
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Cite this Entry

“Espièglerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espi%C3%A8glerie. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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