RASCAL Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

rascal

noun

ˈra-skəl

Definition of rascal

as in monkey

an appealingly mischievous person you little rascal, I saw you snitching some hors d'oeuvres even though our guests haven't even arrived yet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in villain

a mean, evil, or unprincipled person some cold-blooded rascal had set the barn afire

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 rascal In the years since 2004’s Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Penn’s carved out a niche embodying big-talking, attention-grabbing rascals who say inappropriate things, then shrug their way through the consequences. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026 In a time when unemployment is on the rise and the rich are running amok and wreaking havoc on the poor — and the social services in place to support them — who doesn’t love the idea of rogue rascals sticking it to a bougie institution by running off with its crown jewels? — Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Nov. 2025 The hilarious hijinks that ensue are centered on a rugby-playing rascal whose initial interests in pulling chicks and working get-rich-quick schemes give way to a lifelong love of writing poetry in the post-Soviet-occupation era of the 1990s. — Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025 And Eli was, at times, a bit of a rascal. — David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rascal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rascal

Noun

She was hooked by Punch after her daughter in the Philippines told her about the monkey.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
The monkeys were likely both refugees from the booming population of rhesus macaques widespread in Silver Springs State Park, which is roughly 50 miles away, and surrounding areas.

— Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026

Definition of monkey

Noun

The Athletic’s hockey staff came together to identify the definitive on-ice villain for every team in the NHL.

— Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Em details how Alan Rickman who played Hans Gruber, one of the most iconic villains in film history, offered director John McTiernan several key ideas that improved the film.

— Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of villain

Noun

Daniel isn’t this devil’s only minion; Armand’s got an Illumination movie’s worth of cronies doing his bidding.

— Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026
The scene was both serious and strange — after all, this was Vegas and a member of the Satanic temple with black devil horns affixed to the top of his head was waiting for his turn on the microphone.

— Candace Buckner, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of devil

Noun

Pane and McKay revealed that British actor Simon Pegg will voice the Balrog, a giant demonic monster who helps Sauron forge the One Ring.

— Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Curtis is divorced, and still carries a torch for his ex-wife (Kelsey Scott) — now the governor of Illinois and architect of an innovative monster rehabilitation program with the Candyman (as in the movies) its star participant.

— Alison Herman, Variety, 26 July 2026

Definition of monster

Noun

The detective-heroines (and especially the actress-detectives) in this canon are careful about how performance might be extended to social duplicity, dishonesty, and fraud—but the lady criminals of Victorian detective fiction cross this line easily.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
From 1873 to 1991, the island served as Costa Rica’s principal penitentiary, where some of the country’s worst criminals were sent to serve often short and torturous sentences.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026

Definition of criminal

Noun

And the surviving cartel scoundrels take the parting shot by kidnapping beloved Carter, putting a hood on him and taking the boy off.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
But that just reinforces Samuel Johnson’s adage that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

Definition of scoundrel

Browse Nearby Words

rarity

rascal

rascality

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rascal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rascal. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of rascal

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on rascal

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes