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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Example Sentences
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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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No vicious prank call, either (thankfully).—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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New York Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq thought one of the most important calls of his life was a prank call.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This and other videos like it have been making the rounds lately, using tricks for clicks.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
1 May 2026
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But Ohm has picked up some tricks from his time in the room.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The couple co-founded The Gap after a frustrating shopping experience when Don Fisher couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit, according to the retailer.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
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For full daily and monthly horoscopes as well as expert readings, see our full Horoscopes experience.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Noun
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With so much water to explore in the Florida Keys, there are kayak and paddleboard outfitters that allow canine companions to join the adventure.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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Each class is a one-hour adventure of hearing and speaking another language.—
Kris Slugg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Practical joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical%20joke. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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