as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
he takes a puckish delight in teasing her about her love life, or lack thereof
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of puckish
Returned now to his old stomping ground, with his broken dove girlfriend Helen and his sweet natured pal Rudy in-tow, the puckish Francis wanders the desolate city streets trailed by visions of the dead.
—
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
To that eclectic backdrop, the Talking Heads frontman applies his usual puckish wit to matters of love, connection, and other quandaries of existence, assisted by Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and the Smile’s Tom Skinner.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Sep. 2025
And chuckled with Spicy, Austin’s own puckish cartoonist.
—Steve Sewall, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Like End of the Century, Castro’s latest is both sexy and surprisingly cosmic, but this time with a casual, puckish charm.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puckish
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
To that eclectic backdrop, the Talking Heads frontman applies his usual puckish wit to matters of love, connection, and other quandaries of existence, assisted by Paramore’s Hayley Williams, St. Vincent, and the Smile’s Tom Skinner.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 5 Sep. 2025
And chuckled with Spicy, Austin’s own puckish cartoonist.
—Steve Sewall, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Like End of the Century, Castro’s latest is both sexy and surprisingly cosmic, but this time with a casual, puckish charm.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for puckish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puckish
Adjective
-
This mischievous psychothriller takes that premise to new, nerve-fraying levels.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Berfield played Reese, Malcolm's mischievous older brother.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This wicked man is named Tobias Thornhill.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In the original fairytale, the stepmother is portrayed as cold, self-serving and wicked, but Hochhauser recognized and uplifted a different version of the character.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The light green color featuring white-and-yellow flowers is bright and playful for spring, while metallic threading throughout gives this dress a more formal feel.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The food is elegant yet playful with impeccable attention to detail.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Like the impish anti-romance that crumbles around it, the movie’s twist is both transgressive enough to be pleased with itself and also rooted in a reality that refuses to be dismissed as a bad joke.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Helm is the curious, mercurial, impish, affectionate and dangerous air current of the English Pennines, swooping over the Eden District from prehistory until now.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Puckish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puckish. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
