as in trick
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
as a prank, several students managed to change all the classroom clocks to different times
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prank
When Heathcliff, a foundling, discovers that Cathy Earnshaw, the daughter of the impoverished Yorkshire lord who’s taken him in, has played a prank on him by putting eggs in his beds to be crushed, the boy plunges his fingers into the slippery puddle of yolk and albumen left behind.
—
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026
Warren got his start on YouTube but later shifted to TikTok, gaining millions of followers for his popular prank videos, per USA TODAY.
—Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2026
Someone who has the power to play a prank on you.
—Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
This year, April Fool’s Day has been canceled because no prank can match the reality of what’s going on right now.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prank
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026
Warren got his start on YouTube but later shifted to TikTok, gaining millions of followers for his popular prank videos, per USA TODAY.
—Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2026
Someone who has the power to play a prank on you.
—Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
This year, April Fool’s Day has been canceled because no prank can match the reality of what’s going on right now.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prank
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prank
Noun
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Wang Xindi won his first Olympic gold earlier today after landing a trick with five twists in the aerial event.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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From selecting the perfect bag, to using versatile pouches, and choosing your accessories methodically, these are my tips and tricks for personal item packing.—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Harry Styles is ready to do some late-night joking.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
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Written in a joking and contemptuous tone, the tweet would take on an indescribably morbid weight just five days later, when, at the behest of Governor Cláudio Castro, the Rio de Janeiro police carried out the deadliest massacre in the country’s history.—
Evandro Cruz Silva,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In a city where skyscrapers reach for the clouds and streets hum with the rhythm of daily life, Hong Kong's open-air adventures offer a refreshing counterpoint, proving there's no need to choose between urban energy and natural tranquility.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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Meet friends or enjoy your own solo adventure.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Weir was always eager to share anecdotes about Garcia and their escapades.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
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The duo’s winter escapade was first reported by The Wave.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The reality that many Mexicans experience on the ground is one where criminal organizations remain powerful and embedded in the local ecosystems that connect state agents, politicians and criminals in complex networks.—
Angélica Durán-Martínez,
The Conversation,
24 Feb. 2026
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Dale has state government, education, radio and television experience as well.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The gag doesn’t stop at the visual.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2026
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The visual gag immediately captured social media attention.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The adorable taters are filled with a mixture of potato, sour cream, capers, parsley, dill, mustard, and lemon zest.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
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Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean heartbreaker Hamnet and Josh Safdie’s ping-pong caper Marty Supreme earned 11 BAFTA nods each, while Joachim Trier’s drama Sentimental Value and Guillermo del Toro’s gothic epic Frankenstein earned eight BAFTA noms.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prank. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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