1
as in buffoonery
usually monkeyshines plural
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
hockey players who are known for their monkeyshines on and off the ice
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in trick
usually monkeyshines plural
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
on the alert for paleontological monkeyshines ever since the unmasking of Piltdown man
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkeyshine
Noun
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Receivers have cratered seasons with me-over-we buffoonery.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026 -
His comic material, drawn mainly from perceptive observations of everyday life, might not be broad enough buffoonery for the movies.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This under-$40 Amazon pick totally does the trick, and even comes with a little matching pouch.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
13 Mar. 2026
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The previous reader confirmed that the engine can be remote started with this trick using the key-fob.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Those dousings also prompted outrage from police leaders — who decried it as an inexcusable sign of disrespect, and even suggested that officers willing to walk away from that kind of horseplay should consider another line of work.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Yet this is truly an ensemble show, in which each performer has multiple opportunities to shine, executing some splendidly silly bits together, such as delivering CPR to a sandwich or convincingly channeling their inner tots during some post-bedtime horseplay.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Instead, consider leaning into the bagels and lox concept and topping each egg with a few capers or a pinch of everything bagel seasoning.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Mar. 2026
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Soon, the childhood acquaintances are embarking on a surveillance caper, eavesdropping on a dissident pop star (Rebecca Naomi Jones).—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Barnett was the second Mississippi resident to take the monkey business into their own hands.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
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The monkey business is dominated by a handful of highly secretive and rivalrous brokers.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The show is also virtually devoid of romantic escapades, a good thing since Dumas’ novel is filled with a lot of sentimental claptrap about fighting for defenseless women’s honor or seducing virtuous maidens or going to war due to the physical beauty of a monarch.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Even if the titular exclamation point wasn’t taken straight from the theater musical, it’d be earned via the film’s consistently entertaining escapades.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As for Abdul-Mateen, the clownery will resume for him on Broadway.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2022
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Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2022
Noun
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One of Hughes’ neighbors, Ty Talley, said the toilet paper prank was part of tradition in which North Hall students play practical jokes on teachers during prom season.—
Charlotte Kramon,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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As trade envoy, Andrew became known for practical jokes and off-color remarks, which British diplomats had to tolerate because of his titles.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Monkeyshine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeyshine. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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