1
as in wicked
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
the children had been so mischievous that we had to pay the babysitter extra and then clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
punished for their mischievous tricks on the neighbors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
causing or capable of causing harm
mischievous gossip that ruined a good teacher's reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
as they grew older, they lost much of their youthful mischievousness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
bored kids often engage in a certain amount of mischievousness during the long summer vacation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mischievous
Thomas Smith, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025
Plenty of people even defended his mischievous antics, leading to more than 140 comments on TikTok so far.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
North played the mischievous Dennis, who caused trouble for his neighbor George Wilson (Joseph Kearns).
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Clark, who wore a mischievous smile, flayed her arm once more for the dramatics before stepping on the court and finishing a defensive drill.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Adjective
His voice babbles away throughout the record and his mischievous personality shines.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025
Plenty of people even defended his mischievous antics, leading to more than 140 comments on TikTok so far.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
North played the mischievous Dennis, who caused trouble for his neighbor George Wilson (Joseph Kearns).
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Clark, who wore a mischievous smile, flayed her arm once more for the dramatics before stepping on the court and finishing a defensive drill.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischievous
Adjective
-
This one says that offshore holding companies are wicked and should be penalized.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
One scene in the school pool does a particularly wicked job of emphasizing Ducournau’s strengths, as the director makes a visceral, bloody spectacle of Alpha’s social pariah status.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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The Renaissance’s old love language — the naughty puns, the sighs of longing and strategies of seduction, the paeans to the beauty of beloveds masked by fanciful Greek and Latin names — had grown obsolete long before Millay’s time.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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They are seen flinging a pizza box into their bucolic yard, smearing their faces with paint, raising their middle fingers, and saying naughty words.—
Peter Tonguette,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This, in effect, frames even the movie’s unrelated, apolitical happenings as being at the mercy of this dangerous future, backed by Western powers.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
24 May 2025
-
Cruise’s wing-walking sequence was somehow even more dangerous.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
24 May 2025
Noun
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As a result, she was charged with one count of criminal mischief.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2025
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In New Jersey, a 15-year-old Belleville High School student was charged with third-degree arson and criminal mischief after allegedly setting a Chromebook on fire, NJ.com reported.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Rhinestone pasties peeked out just beneath the neckline, a playful, unexpected twist that only SZA could elevate.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
30 May 2025
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This red bubble bandeau dress is playful, fun and effortlessly coquettish.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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But, are seed oils worse than saturated animal fats?—
Marianne Krasny,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
Men and women respond to the Nazi dictatorship by becoming, at best, evasive and feebly self-justifying, at worst, morally broken.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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China has gone even further, requiring digital watermarks on synthetic media and directing platforms to swiftly remove harmful content — part of its broader strategy of centralized content control.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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Some of these harmful ideologies might be downstream of these larger root causes.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Nicholson's portrayal of a rebellious mental hospital inmate is a phenomenal combination of sly intelligence and impish braggadocio, best showcased during the scene where, thwarted in his attempt to watch the World Series on TV, McMurphy ad libs a commentary in front of a blank set.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
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Whenever O’Brien was onstage, balancing impish humor with a palpable love for movies and compassion for an industry where so many recently lost so much to the wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles, the ceremony felt light and loose.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
3 Mar. 2025
Video
'Mispronunciations' That May Be Fine
'Mischievous,' 'nuclear,' and other words to pronounce with caution.
Cite this Entry
“Mischievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischievous. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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