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
The comedy horror film revolves around Brian (Tyler Perry) forbidding his daughter Tiffany (Diamond White) from attending a frat party, which sets off a string of Halloween pranks.
—
Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Historically, Mischief Night is supposed to be the night of harmless pranks, but many police departments have developed plans to prevent the shenanigans.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
But Fleury’s jokes and pranks also kept light-hearted off the ice.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Many have built followings while making content in a specific area, such as magic, pranks, art, sports, gaming, comedy or reviews.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
As far as college pranks go, the one The Harvard Lampoon orchestrated was pricey.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
The Twits is not beautiful — and that’s kind of the point, since the story is about a gross, mean, and spiteful couple who pull all sorts of nasty pranks on each other and everyone else.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
What started as the follow-up to D’Angelo’s 1995 platinum debut, Brown Sugar (written and recorded entirely by D’Angelo in his mother’s house in Richmond, Virginia), became five years of study at Soul University, complete with classes, pranks, gossip and equal amounts of discipline and laziness.
—Touré, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Even if most such cases don’t involve nefarious intent, the pranks underscore how easily AI can potentially manipulate real people.
—Maura Murphy, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Historically, Mischief Night is supposed to be the night of harmless pranks, but many police departments have developed plans to prevent the shenanigans.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
But Fleury’s jokes and pranks also kept light-hearted off the ice.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Many have built followings while making content in a specific area, such as magic, pranks, art, sports, gaming, comedy or reviews.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
As far as college pranks go, the one The Harvard Lampoon orchestrated was pricey.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2025
The Twits is not beautiful — and that’s kind of the point, since the story is about a gross, mean, and spiteful couple who pull all sorts of nasty pranks on each other and everyone else.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025
What started as the follow-up to D’Angelo’s 1995 platinum debut, Brown Sugar (written and recorded entirely by D’Angelo in his mother’s house in Richmond, Virginia), became five years of study at Soul University, complete with classes, pranks, gossip and equal amounts of discipline and laziness.
—Touré, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Even if most such cases don’t involve nefarious intent, the pranks underscore how easily AI can potentially manipulate real people.
—Maura Murphy, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pranks
Noun
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Cherki is visibly excited by his spectators, eager to show off his tricks, until a coach comes into frame on the YouTube video and tells them their fun is over.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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Cheo was a jokester and would play tricks on her, like pretending to be asleep, to lighten the mood.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Their language mimics the essence of things, evocations of items and experiences.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Being an actor means constantly outputting — expressing — but rarely having time to take in new experiences.—
Gavin J Blair,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Follow the duo packraft and fly-fish on clear, empty waters, then read more guidance below to adventures in and near the Bob Marshall Wilderness.—
Outside,
Outside,
4 Nov. 2025
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To @kaitjoseph and @maxmagpie for the laughs, adventures, games and cartwheels galore.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The TikTok account features countless videos of Athena’s antics, from swimming in open water, playing fetch outside, and enjoying plenty of treats.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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Guthrie questioned before high-fiving Bush Hager for her college antics.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Marlowe’s life story is also filled with near escapes, nefarious friends, bizarre escapades.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
-
This was where they were raised, where the future Reality Bites director would goof around with the other kids in their building and shoot their escapades with a Super 8 Canon his dad bought him.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Great practical effects and some very funny gags make this worth a watch.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Mel Brooks’ best comedy shares many similarities with his other revered films – a strong grip of genre beats, a non-stop barrage of gags yanking us forward, and an eagerness to give every performer a chance to comedically shine.—
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Like his brother, Brandon attends a lot of Freddie’s games with his mom and siblings and even made a red carpet appearance at the 2024 All-Star Red Carpet Show.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Yamamoto is also the first pitcher since Curt Schilling to throw consecutive complete games in a postseason.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Preconfigured toppings include the Gold Standard (smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, lemon), the Summer Girl (burrata, grated tomato) and the Brusco (Calabrian cream cheese, pistachio mortadella, honey).—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
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White wine, shallots, and lemon zest and juice build on what the butter and garlic get started, and a couple tablespoons of capers give the dish a zesty tang.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pranks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pranks. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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