1
as in devilment
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
the children claimed that setting off a firecracker was harmless mischief, but they got a lecture anyway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
your mother was full of mischief as a child, believe it or not
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3
as in monkey
an appealingly mischievous person
he's a little mischief who means no harm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mischief
The storage space is a veritable Fort Knox safe from tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and all manner of mischief and mayhem, where the 68-degree temperature and 45% humidity are ideal for preserving paper and film.
—
Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026
Police arrested Allman and charged him with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Allman was charged with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail, the department said.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 2 Mar. 2026
He was later indicted on felony assault, burglary and criminal mischief charges, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026
Police arrested Allman and charged him with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail.
—Matt Schooley, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Allman was charged with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail, the department said.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 2 Mar. 2026
He was later indicted on felony assault, burglary and criminal mischief charges, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischief
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
Noun
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Fashion Week brings out a bit of playfulness in us all, and Oprah is not immune.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
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All the while, the company emphasized playfulness at the core of creation.—
Emma Madden,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Broward County Commission has shot down a proposal that would have cleared the way for a property owner to put up warehouses on and near environmentally sensitive land, some of which has been home to a colony of African vervet monkeys since the late 1940s.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
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When researchers gave semaglutide to green vervet monkeys – primates that voluntarily drink alcohol much like humans do – the animals drank less without showing signs of nausea or changes in water intake.—
Ziyad Al-Aly,
Fortune,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Social media users can’t get enough of Chico’s antics, as many lauded his mischievousness.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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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
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Some Ottomans believed that Alawites were possessed by devils.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
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Also called devil's snare, the plant's seeds, roots, stems, and leaves are all dangerous if ingested.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Pearl revels in wickedness, presenting a literary world in which a successful writer’s haughtiness is both encouraged and rewarded.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Dec. 2025
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But despite this being the internet, there’s no wickedness being thrust around — everyone’s taking the chance to get in on a memeless rollout.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
25 Nov. 2025
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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Dancing spirits, dressed in Victorian-era garb, stir up devilry as the night unfolds.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
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If Michael Jackson moonwalked so that Prince could show us the face of God with his brain-melting 2007 set, the NFL’s reaction to Fox’s inspired bit of devilry set the stage for the league’s eventual takeover of the American psyche.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mischief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischief. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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