as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
told the prankish lad that someone would eventually get hurt if he kept it up
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Recent Examples of prankish
Caltech is a sort of nerd Valhalla, where brilliant and creative youngsters study and engage in prankish mischief.
—
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
Still, at its best, Needle Guy applies Brady’s prankish energy to unsettling inversions of his inspirations.
—Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
Yet, the prankish tone keeps Grace from having much of a personality, other than a rebellious screw this.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
And then there’s Whitehead’s own work: erudite, prankish, experimental in a literal sense—the act of listening is sometimes the experiment.
—Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
And within the prankish world created by the production, not everyone was in on the joke.
—David Renard, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Fuchs put a prankish spin on the descending octaves that tootle above the reprise of the symphony’s solemn opening.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
Still, at its best, Needle Guy applies Brady’s prankish energy to unsettling inversions of his inspirations.
—Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 25 Mar. 2026
Yet, the prankish tone keeps Grace from having much of a personality, other than a rebellious screw this.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
And then there’s Whitehead’s own work: erudite, prankish, experimental in a literal sense—the act of listening is sometimes the experiment.
—Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
And within the prankish world created by the production, not everyone was in on the joke.
—David Renard, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Fuchs put a prankish spin on the descending octaves that tootle above the reprise of the symphony’s solemn opening.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prankish
Adjective
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Elevated rooms—some villas sit on stilts above the jungle floor, giving full treehouse vibes—offer total immersion within the thick, humid jungle, underscored by wild birds, hypnotic cicadas, and the swing of mischievous monkeys.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
Turner often carried a mischievous twinkle in his eye.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Wednesday morning commute may prove wicked.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
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Morejón is throwing harder than ever and still breaking off some dastardly breaking pitches and throwing an increasingly wicked changeup.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
May 21 – June 20 A playful idea could attract the right ally faster than expected today.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Leo July 23 – August 22 A playful risk could turn into something surprisingly grand today.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prankish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prankish. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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