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
Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
Where the original is melancholic and smooth, Wayne’s spin is mischievous.
—Pitchfork, 6 June 2025
Lois, no longer a promiscuous drag king, remains mischievous and irrepressible, even while getting pilloried on Fox News for leading a school workshop on gender identity.
—Charlie Tyson, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
Each day in the world of Phineas and Ferb is filled with a fantastical invention or creation—and their big sister Candace (Ashley Tisdale) is still perpetually annoyed by their mischievous antics, and on a mission to expose their exploits to their mom, Linda Flynn-Fletcher.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Adjective
This graphic novel keeps the spirit of the Blues Brothers alive; mischievous recidivists, musical outlaws who above everything, care about the Blues.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
Where the original is melancholic and smooth, Wayne’s spin is mischievous.
—Pitchfork, 6 June 2025
Lois, no longer a promiscuous drag king, remains mischievous and irrepressible, even while getting pilloried on Fox News for leading a school workshop on gender identity.
—Charlie Tyson, New Yorker, 4 June 2025
Each day in the world of Phineas and Ferb is filled with a fantastical invention or creation—and their big sister Candace (Ashley Tisdale) is still perpetually annoyed by their mischievous antics, and on a mission to expose their exploits to their mom, Linda Flynn-Fletcher.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischievous
Adjective
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That’s 663 days between pitching appearances – and 663 days since fans caught a glimpse of his wicked four-seam fastball and splitter.—
Julia Andersen,
CNN Money,
16 June 2025
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To its credit, Seattle responded strongly after the break and pulled one back when Cristian Roldan’s header took a wicked deflection and snuck into the Botafogo net.—
Jeff Rueter,
New York Times,
15 June 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
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He was found guilty of corruption, and he should have been considered a dangerous criminal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
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While use of chrysotile asbestos was on the decline, the dangerous mineral has lingered in various gaskets, brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings, other vehicle friction products, and some diaphragms used to make sodium hydroxide and chlorine.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
17 June 2025
Noun
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The individuals face charges including felony criminal mischief, resisting arrest, and additional offenses.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
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If he’s arrested, the vandal could be facing a charge of criminal mischief as a hate crime.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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But playful, electronic reimaginings of Grandma’s feel-good tunes and funny pop culture sound bites weren’t getting us anywhere past Havre de Grace.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2025
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Rowan is a funny, playful, and high-spirited young boy who keeps everyone around him smiling.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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Trump has lauded Israel's strikes and previously warned of much worse to come unless Iran quickly accepts the sharp downgrading of its nuclear program the U.S. has demanded in talks that had been due to resume on June 15.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
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Bane is a 41 percent career 3-point shooter who, in his five prior seasons, never shot worse than 38.1 percent from deep in a season.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Research has found that building roads can fragment habitats, disrupt ecosystems, and increase erosion and sediment pollution in drinking water, among other potentially harmful outcomes.—
Hayley Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
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This kind of leadership without empathy is not only unsustainable but actively harmful to morale and performance.—
Jody Michael,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The others were Dan Lucas, the guitarist, from York, and Taylor Stewart, the drummer, from outside Glasgow—the group’s impish prankster, who has a penchant for choking his mates and kicking them in the balls.—
Nick Paumgarten,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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Fit, tan and still charmingly impish, Sanz met with Billboard over a glass of red wine at Sony’s 5020 Studios in Miami in early May.—
Leila Cobo,
Billboard,
22 May 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 29 Jun. 2025.
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