1
as in buffoonery
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
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 monkeyshines
Noun
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Without Roberts in charge, expect the political and racial buffoonery to creep back into the conversation at ESPN.
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The show, with its interest in corporate buffoonery, doesn’t quite manage to hand-wave away the queasy implications.
Noun
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The trick is to widen your view deliberately, one angle at a time, because each new angle surfaces buyers the last one missed.
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Now, as heat waves wash over cities from London to Palm Springs, people are embracing this tried-and-true trick with the Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad.
Noun
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The project has been plagued by technical issues, supplier disputes, and alleged tomfoolery—empty mini tequila bottles were reportedly discovered on one of the airplanes under construction.
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The latest tomfoolery consisted of a posting on Twitter/X last week that provided a picture of a genuine Monet painting, and the picture was labeled as supposedly being AI-generated.
Noun
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In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, shallots, olive oil, parsley, dill, capers, basil, lemon zest and juice.
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John Wilson/Netflix ©2026 Enola Holmes is back on our screens, four long years after her last caper.
Noun
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When horseplay turns into an impromptu hookup, neither of the young men fight the urge.
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After France’s 4-3 victory against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, horseplay between the players at the team hotel culminated in back-up centre-back Adil Rami setting off a fire extinguisher in the early hours of the morning.
Noun
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Nikolau posted images of the escapade on her social media accounts, including a photo that modeled an engagement-style ring above a bird’s-eye view of Manhattan.
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While the Jeep legacy dates to primarily to off-road military use, the hybrid model is oriented toward on-road escapades.
Noun
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The clowning might be a little too effortful.
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As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.
Noun
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The beloved southern elephant seal, Neil the Seal, is back in Tasmania, causing havoc yet again and garnering fans through his antics.
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As can be seen from the often-frantic antics on the sidelines, the managers and coaches also have a lot to prove — and potentially to lose.
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Cite this Entry
“Monkeyshines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeyshines. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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