as in tricks
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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Recent Examples of pranks
After provoking the ire of the college kids, Madea and her clan are subjected to a series of ghoulish pranks.
—
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025
Still, Shannon promised, no pranks this time, because the movie at hand is too important.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
The actors reportedly became close friends off-screen, which translated into the effortless banter and playful pranks on-screen.
—Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Like trick-or-treating, ding-dong-ditch pranks can escalate, with some versions targeting the same homeowner repeatedly or battering on a door in a threatening manner.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
And speaking of calming mechanisms, good pranks, and #goals, Oliver Scialdone would like you to click on this link—but you aren’t allowed to ask any further questions.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
Harry's sense of humor and ability to give zesty one-liners connect him with the Mercurial sign, which has a flair for sarcasm, pranks, jokes and communication.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Mikko Hypönnen, a longtime cybersecurity researcher who worked with F-Secure and WithSecure, opened his speech by recounting his days of keeping viruses and worms, which were made by random kids as pranks, on floppy disks.
—PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Sep. 2025
Still, Shannon promised, no pranks this time, because the movie at hand is too important.
—Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2025
The actors reportedly became close friends off-screen, which translated into the effortless banter and playful pranks on-screen.
—Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Like trick-or-treating, ding-dong-ditch pranks can escalate, with some versions targeting the same homeowner repeatedly or battering on a door in a threatening manner.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
And speaking of calming mechanisms, good pranks, and #goals, Oliver Scialdone would like you to click on this link—but you aren’t allowed to ask any further questions.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
Harry's sense of humor and ability to give zesty one-liners connect him with the Mercurial sign, which has a flair for sarcasm, pranks, jokes and communication.
—Lisa Stardust, People.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Mikko Hypönnen, a longtime cybersecurity researcher who worked with F-Secure and WithSecure, opened his speech by recounting his days of keeping viruses and worms, which were made by random kids as pranks, on floppy disks.
—PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pranks
Noun
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Dillon took a beat to think about what works for him before sharing his tips and tricks to remaining youthful.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
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Weaver shares his go-to honey tips, tricks and cocktail recipes.—
Brittany Anas,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Cortège often feels like a beautiful but diluted version of experiences that Cirque du Soleil and Burning Man execute with more conviction and coherence.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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With a mix of humor and introspection, Turturro’s speech reflected on his experiences taking care of his late brother with mental challenges and physical illness.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Fly Who Flew Under the Sea — and the story features more adventures with Flynn, the curious fly from her first book, The Fly Who Flew to Space, which was released in 2024.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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The property, located in the heart of Jackson, has an on-site concierge to book safaris, outdoor adventures, and wellness appointments to relax between autumn adventures.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These antics are supercharging a decades-long controversy.—
John P. O’Brien,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
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Webb regularly shares videos of Kota's antics on social media, but this heartwarming video of Kota's reaction has certainly captured far more attention than anticipated.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The origins of Godzilla’s name may remain a mystery, but there are no secrets related to its film escapades.—
Michael Taube,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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The twist sets off a series of sinister and shocking events, escalating the feud between the women, with Daniel caught in the middle of their horrifying escapades.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Via visual gags, a cast of gifted comic actors and a script that pulls both from ’80s and ’90s TV movies and screen classics like Suddenly, Last Summer and The Children’s Hour, Maddie’s Secret straddles the line between comedy and melodrama, creating a wholly unique cinematic experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
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The gags are ridiculous, if gentle.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Petry spent the last two seasons back in Michigan with the Detroit Red Wings, but injuries limited him to 44 games in the 2024-25 season.—
Carol Schram,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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With 15 games remaining, Smith may not have enough time to rehab the injury and return for the end of the regular season.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Stir together panko, parsley, half-and-half, Parmesan, egg, garlic, capers, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and onion powder in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Sep. 2025
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Picadillo, a main course usually made with ground beef, tomatoes, olives and capers, could be described as a sloppy joe with a Spanish accent.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pranks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pranks. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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