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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Four other charges in that case — including assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child — were dismissed with prejudice, the records show.
—
Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
Christopher Nastasa, 39, was arrested on 19 charges, including robbery, assault, petit larceny and criminal mischief as hate crimes, for the March 17 attack, according to police.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Excessive drinking—which often resulted in mischief and vandalism—was discouraged, with newspapers calling for greater discipline, regulation, and surveillance.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
Stay sharp out there, and consider this your invitation to stir up a little harmless mischief of your own.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
Christopher Nastasa, 39, was arrested on 19 charges, including robbery, assault, petit larceny and criminal mischief as hate crimes, for the March 17 attack, according to police.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Excessive drinking—which often resulted in mischief and vandalism—was discouraged, with newspapers calling for greater discipline, regulation, and surveillance.
—Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
Stay sharp out there, and consider this your invitation to stir up a little harmless mischief of your own.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 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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There is a playfulness in the day and there’s a seriousness at night.—
Jerald “Coop” Cooper,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
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This was an environment filled with adolescent energy and playfulness, but also an undertone of support.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The same is true for other mammals such as monkeys and mice.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
9 Apr. 2026
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Huyghe sourced the monkey from Tokyo, where it had been trained to work as a server in a restaurant.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 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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While the movie has some fun asking whether people actually want to know everything about their partners (a devil’s bargain since time immemorial), its real interest lies in how that knowledge is colored by who shares it.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
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Its theme — that the rich are different, and in not-good ways — meant she’d be forced into a ritualistic game of hide-and-seek, running for her life from her devil-worshipping, masters-of-the-world in-laws.—
Michael Ordoña,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That’s how Trip Cullman’s taut, take-no-prisoners production plays it — the pulse is allegro, the casual tone spiked with gasp-inducing wickedness.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
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An opinion offered offhand suggests a secret wickedness that must be exorcised.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 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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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 18 Apr. 2026.
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