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
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Fierce in expression but controlled in form, the 1959 LP draws out a rootsy warmth from beneath the bebop that had consumed bandstands since World War II, forging a sound that feels at once confrontational, mischievous, and generous.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
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And then, a massive, mischievous grin.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Offensively, the Cubs didn’t do much against Guardians starter Joey Cantillo, armed with a wicked changeup, and the Cleveland bullpen.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The playful conductor will explain you are headed to La Rojeña, the oldest distillery in Latin America, in the town of Tequila, in the state of Jalisco, and where Jose Cuervo is still produced.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
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Home and family are your main focus; nevertheless, romance and playful diversions also appeal to you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Knavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knavish. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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