as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a knavish bunch of urchins racing pell-mell through the marketplace
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Recent Examples of knavish
Wells could be playful, knavish, and his tone here is one of urgency and optimism about the distribution of information.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2021
The same people who are now telling us that only Republican-voting obscurantists, ignorant deplorables and knavish right-wing media pundits are raising doubts about the vaccine would have been oozing skepticism.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 12 July 2021
BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2021
The same people who are now telling us that only Republican-voting obscurantists, ignorant deplorables and knavish right-wing media pundits are raising doubts about the vaccine would have been oozing skepticism.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 12 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knavish
Adjective
-
Like tapping into that mischievous kid in me.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
-
There on the screen, staring back at me, are two gigantic black eyes and a mischievous smile stitched on a massive, crocheted head — features of the mysterious, endlessly cheeky mask that has become Chuyin’s signature.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
As Thompson reveals, Lean grew up Quaker and was forbidden from seeing movies, which were considered wicked.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
-
Go enjoy a wicked musical from before America lost so much of its sense of humor.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Enjoy romance, fun outings and playful times with kids.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
-
Lagasse wants Emeril’s to make the case that New Orleans cuisine can be playful, regional, historically grounded and technically elite all at once.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knavish. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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