1
as in hijinks
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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Clean sheets appeared on the bed as if by magic, a trick many high-end hotels have forgotten.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025 -
The brand recommends laying the topper flat to expand for several hours after removing it from the packaging, but shoppers note that fluffing it in the dryer before use also does the trick.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Stewart’s switch from his usual snark to imitate Colbert’s buffoonery proved how spiteful and irreligious political humor has become since the left’s worship of Barack Obama and subsequent persecution of President Trump.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 July 2025
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The other person who spoke in South Carolina, Tim Walz, is a special mixture of extreme buffoonery and a mean spirit, which is a toxic brew.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
Noun
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Based on Johnson’s cult Viceland series, this hysterical, death-defying time-travel caper earned a standing ovation and a coveted Midnighter Audience Award at this past spring’s SXSW.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
24 July 2025
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Make the tapenade: Put the olives, capers, anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon zest and juice, cayenne and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
Denver Post,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Butch Baker, who was Henry County sheriff until 2014, recalled an incident in which Bertram was accused of inappropriate horseplay at the community corrections office.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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The action anime feature for everyone who couldn’t get enough of the horseplay in The Two Towers has finally cantered onto Max.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Both fragrances are companions for discovery, adapting to the diverse rhythms of a European city-hopping escapade.—
Shivani Vora,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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American Dad! is back on FOX and heading into their 20th season of outlandish plots, covert ops and alien escapades.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
8 July 2025
Noun
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The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park has some monkey business going on: updates to its primate and other animal habitats, educational buildings and pathways.—
Lillian Ashworth,
Oc Register,
18 July 2025
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Do a direct export from the original system—no monkey business.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Noun
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Frightening as these prank calls are, their recipients refuse to take the message seriously, because surely the whole thing is just a macabre practical joke.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
10 Aug. 2025
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Over the last year, Beckinsale has continued sharing moments with her mom on social media — from playing practical jokes on Loe to celebrating her 78th birthday in the hospital singing a song during treatments.—
Sara Vallone,
Miami Herald,
18 July 2025
Noun
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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
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The Winx Club live action is a big clownery!—
Olivia Truffaut-Wong,
refinery29.com,
25 Jan. 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Monkeyshine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeyshine. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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