1
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
those adolescent rogueries that seemed funny at the time—but only stupid when considered in hindsight
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2
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
the old fraternity brothers fondly recounted how their roguery used to rile the dean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of roguery
That’s flimflam, that’s roguery.
—
Helen Shaw, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2022
His own father, famously, had been a confidence trickster, and le Carré was therefore all too well equipped to mount a lifelong investigation into the uses of roguery, not to mention sleights of hand, some of them amounting to a national disgrace.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2020
Trump smiled, and the dinner guests laughed at the sole acknowledgment of presidential roguery on this otherwise traditional night.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019
The political systems of the US and Britain are staggering under the pressure of Russia’s roguery....
—Monitor Editors, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2018
Helen Shaw, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2022
His own father, famously, had been a confidence trickster, and le Carré was therefore all too well equipped to mount a lifelong investigation into the uses of roguery, not to mention sleights of hand, some of them amounting to a national disgrace.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2020
Trump smiled, and the dinner guests laughed at the sole acknowledgment of presidential roguery on this otherwise traditional night.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019
The political systems of the US and Britain are staggering under the pressure of Russia’s roguery....
—Monitor Editors, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roguery
Noun
-
Of course, the pranks are all in good fun, with owners keeping things safe and playful.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
And for 2026, the channel pulled off its creepiest prank yet, with a terrifying claymation short lifted from a one of their most popular shows.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Four other charges in that case — including assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child — were dismissed with prejudice, the records show.—
Meriam Bouarrouj,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Christopher Nastasa, 39, was arrested on 19 charges, including robbery, assault, petit larceny and criminal mischief as hate crimes, for the March 17 attack, according to police.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Old dog learns new tricks UConn forward Alex Karaban, who played on the 2023 and ’24 champions, is attempting to become the first non-UCLA player to win three national championships.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
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Naturally, such rascality didn't do overall fuel economy any favors; in fact, my average was just 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) over the course of 125 miles at the E 350's helm.—
Peter Nelson,
Ars Technica,
18 Apr. 2024
Noun
-
Others will tell you that the day and its playfulness were inspired by an Egyptian legend.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
For example, when Les unleashes the couple's cat Magoo on Lindy, Banks expected a certain level of playfulness.—
Sarah Rodman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The sparkling Sun in your 9th House of Exploration squares cheery Jupiter in your 12th House of Rest, pitting adventure against recovery.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
This is an exciting year of new beginnings and adventures.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mustard and vinegar provide the devilment for a flavorful bite, particularly when topped with a scattering of scallions and paprika.—
SAVEUR Editors,
Saveur,
5 Feb. 2025
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But even if truffles are beyond your pay grade, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in the sheer devilment portrayed in this informative and appetizing book.—
Eugenia Bone,
WSJ,
10 July 2019
Cite this Entry
“Roguery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roguery. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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