as in prank
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 joke
At a lavish country house party, a practical joke appears to have gone horribly, murderously wrong.
—
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
With over 300 episodes to shoot, there was time for some practical jokes.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
This is all some practical joke that’s being played on me.
—Michael Nied, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Jordan had thought he’d been set up for a practical joke.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical joke
Jake Kanter, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
With over 300 episodes to shoot, there was time for some practical jokes.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
This is all some practical joke that’s being played on me.
—Michael Nied, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Jordan had thought he’d been set up for a practical joke.
—Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical joke
Noun
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However, Wyle didn’t let the prank get in the way of his professionalism.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
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And compared to some of Fleury’s past pranks on teammates, a few misplaced letters on a nameplate would be relatively light.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lemon was also the Trojans’ primary return man during his sophomore and junior seasons and was even used on a trick play against Oregon this season that resulted in a 24-yard touchdown pass to then-freshman Tanook Hines.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
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The trio of Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm and Geekie can be trick-or-treat and Sturm was well aware of that when the series began.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In Casual mode, players can take their time with unlimited chances to find every change, perfect for a relaxed, low-pressure experience.—
Rachel Jacoby Zoldan,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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The series first debuted on Prime Video in 2021 and quickly gained a huge following, with viewers charmed by the beautiful scenery and the drama that country living can bring, helped along by Clarkson’s total lack of farming experience.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Thank you for showing us planet Earth again, and thank you for contributing to the greatest adventure in human history.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Faye Travel Insurance Learn More Policy highlights Faye has one single-trip plan with optional add-ons for pet care, adventure sports and damage to vacation rentals.—
Liz Knueven,Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Practical joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical%20joke. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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