as in pranks
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
friends had left the risqué message on his voice mail as a practical joke
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Recent Examples of practical jokes
Crews often found release in rowdiness, camaraderie, practical jokes, and the inevitable coping mechanisms of drink and drugs.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
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
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
With over 300 episodes to shoot, there was time for some practical jokes.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
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
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
With over 300 episodes to shoot, there was time for some practical jokes.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical jokes
Noun
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The Timberwolves were up 2-1 against their bitter rivals, and there was DiVincenzo, playing pranks and laughing devilishly.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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Shortly after midnight on May 25, prosecutors said the same group of teens were driving around San Mateo pulling pranks on classmates from Hillsdale High School.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Noun
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As more travelers ditch tourist traps in favor of authentic experiences, craft markets have become one of the most rewarding ways to see the real side of a destination — and bring home a souvenir that actually means something.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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The customer then lays down on the bed and first experiences a dry scalp massage and a massage of their neck and upper shoulders while settling in.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
29 May 2026
Noun
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As a long-time shopper, Aly knows there are tricks to scoring the best deals.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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The robot training center's primary focus will be on gathering all the data possible, across a diverse collection of robots, in an effort to be able to fine-tune methods to teach new bots old tricks.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 May 2026
Noun
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Mina the Hollower blends elements of retro Zelda adventures like Link’s Awakening with more modern games like Elden Ring, and randomizing things in Mina’s world provides some thorny challenges right from the start.—
Jay Peters,
The Verge,
27 May 2026
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Brown is, of course, the titular character here, a peppy and intelligent young lady who has a real panache for solving crimes and breaking the fourth wall during her many adventures.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Practical jokes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical%20jokes. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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