1
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
the sort of frat-boy knaveries that become the stuff of campus legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
suspects some knavery going on in the political campaign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knavery
Noun
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However, Wyle didn’t let the prank get in the way of his professionalism.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026 -
And compared to some of Fleury’s past pranks on teammates, a few misplaced letters on a nameplate would be relatively light.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 2026
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
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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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Lemon was also the Trojans’ primary return man during his sophomore and junior seasons and was even used on a trick play against Oregon this season that resulted in a 24-yard touchdown pass to then-freshman Tanook Hines.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
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The trio of Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm and Geekie can be trick-or-treat and Sturm was well aware of that when the series began.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
24 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 flimflam, that’s roguery.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2022
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His own father, famously, had been a confidence trickster, and le Carré was therefore all too well equipped to mount a lifelong investigation into the uses of roguery, not to mention sleights of hand, some of them amounting to a national disgrace.—
Anthony Lane,
The New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2020
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
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Cite this Entry
“Knavery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knavery. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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