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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of practical joke
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
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
The unofficial holiday encourages pulling light-hearted pranks, practical jokes, hoaxes or hijinks on others.
—David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
And thus Hayes' rival is Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris), a young driver in his first season who sees no reason to trust a driver whose arrival in his team mid-season seems more like a practical joke.
—ArsTechnica, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical joke
Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2025
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
The unofficial holiday encourages pulling light-hearted pranks, practical jokes, hoaxes or hijinks on others.
—David Wysong, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
And thus Hayes' rival is Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris), a young driver in his first season who sees no reason to trust a driver whose arrival in his team mid-season seems more like a practical joke.
—ArsTechnica, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for practical joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical joke
Noun
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Her ascent in the digital content space started out with prank phone calls and comedy sketches inspired by her Southern Belle upbringing that drew over 3 million followers on TikTok.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
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The show takes that fleeting prank and asks what happens when disguise isn’t a joke but a lifeline, when the mask becomes the only face the world will accept.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The fast food giant announced the return of the classic Halloween item, which makes the perfect vessel for storing candy that is picked up while making the rounds of trick-or-treating.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
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Basically, a kid goes out trick-or-treating on Halloween.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The two-hour experience includes bourbon samples, a cocktail, and the use of paranormal investigation tools.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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Dale has state government, education, radio and television experience as well.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Rivian produces adventure-ready electric vehicles with high power outputs and exceptional ground clearance.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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While the bubble feature wasn’t the biggest hit, families loved the fair value, sturdy design, and beloved characters that extended play well beyond the first adventure.—
Emily Glover,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Practical joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical%20joke. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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