as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
he takes a puckish delight in teasing her about her love life, or lack thereof
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puckish
Nattily dressed in a tan peacoat and collared shirt, the puckish tot also made monster noises, stuck his fingers in his dad’s ears, plopped himself on the floor and went eye to eye with Trump.
—
Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
Haugerud’s writing is thoughtful and rife with substantial ideas, but also delights in puckish diversions and shaggy-dog anecdotes — some of which illuminate the themes at hand, while others merely highlight the eccentric perversity of man in general.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
This puckish presentation may not be for those who feign at flatus.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
The clarinettist Matic Kuder, another recent addition to the ranks, enlivened both the symphony and the concerto with limpid, puckish solos.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puckish
Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2025
Haugerud’s writing is thoughtful and rife with substantial ideas, but also delights in puckish diversions and shaggy-dog anecdotes — some of which illuminate the themes at hand, while others merely highlight the eccentric perversity of man in general.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2025
This puckish presentation may not be for those who feign at flatus.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
The clarinettist Matic Kuder, another recent addition to the ranks, enlivened both the symphony and the concerto with limpid, puckish solos.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for puckish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puckish
Adjective
-
Clark, who wore a mischievous smile, flayed her arm once more for the dramatics before stepping on the court and finishing a defensive drill.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Isaacs appeared in the film series as the father of Tom Felton's Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts student wizard who serves as a mischievous antagonist opposite Harry Potter (Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Grint), and Hermione Granger (Watson).—
Joey Nolfi,
EW.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Havoc brings the heat, throwing Tom Hardy's stony Walker into a hotbed of gangsters, dirty cops, corrupt elites, and wicked assassins.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Dafoe rocks an aerodynamic pompadour and wicked attitude as the leader of a biker gang who kidnaps a rock singer (Diane Lane) and has a showdown with her ex (Michael Paré).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Once she’s done blending, her full glam results are stunning yet intriguing, with a playful feminine hue.—
Celeste Polanco,
Essence,
24 Apr. 2025
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This playful, colorful apartment block designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser ignores straight lines entirely and proves that architecture can be joyful rebellion.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
These glassy encasements elevated each itty-bitty snapshot of kitschy urban ephemera (a taxi cab, a bodega coffee cup, a slice of pizza, a smiley-face plastic shopping bag) to a surprising elegance—undercut with impish humor.—
Marina Harss,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2025
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At least Elvis Costello’s legendary false start from ’78 was referenced, albeit by an impish Eddie Vedder, not Costello himself.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In person, Wood is funny but sedate, speaking in a deadpan carried along by a prankish undercurrent.—
Ismail Muhammad,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Puckish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puckish. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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