as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
the novelist has a known weakness for literary tricksiness, so the reader should be skeptical of the narrator's trustworthiness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling
it's a bit tricksy to have a candid conversation with the company president without appearing to be either presumptuous or obsequious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a tricksy provocateur who will make the most outrageous statements just to get a reaction
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 tricksiness
The Economist, 18 June 2020
Adjective
Such films sometimes feel like tricksy technical experiments.
—The Economist, 18 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tricksiness
Adjective
-
But the fact that Schwartzman, in his first film, was given the difficult task of stealing laughs away from a comedy legend, and so often succeeds in doing so, gives him the slight edge.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
30 May 2025
-
Shaving requires removing the end cap of a bat, which can be difficult to do, and shaving down or thinning out the inner wall of the barrel.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sure there might be a mischievous mouse-deer stealing fruit from an orangutan, but once the mystery is solved, the two animals comprise on how to share—no harm or conflict intended.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
20 May 2025
-
Two decades on, Stitch ranks among Disney’s most ubiquitous characters — especially from a merchandising perspective, as that mischievous mug of his can be seen on backpacks, plush toys, T-shirts and, well, mugs of all sizes.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Being a careless jackass but also irresistibly charming is a tough needle to thread.—
Staff Author Published,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
-
Johnson has been on a winning streak this year with Trump in the White House and backing him repeatedly to muscle through a series of very tough votes on the slimmest of majorities.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
This one says that offshore holding companies are wicked and should be penalized.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
Carson Palmquist’s big-league career began with a wicked twist.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
As a result, she was charged with one count of criminal mischief.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2025
-
In New Jersey, a 15-year-old Belleville High School student was charged with third-degree arson and criminal mischief after allegedly setting a Chromebook on fire, NJ.com reported.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
Moreover, data tokenization or de-identification allows sensitive information (like PII or health records) to be replaced with non-sensitive surrogates, reducing risk without compromising analytics.—
Shinoy Vengaramkode Bhaskaran,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Tian also allegedly sent additional sensitive data on U.S. weapons systems.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Rhinestone pasties peeked out just beneath the neckline, a playful, unexpected twist that only SZA could elevate.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
30 May 2025
-
This red bubble bandeau dress is playful, fun and effortlessly coquettish.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
The result is a mosaic of broods that makes the jigsaw puzzle of periodical cicada distribution more complicated, but more interesting.—
Chris Simon,
The Conversation,
22 May 2025
-
My work centers Native characters who are fully human: messy, funny, complicated.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tricksiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tricksiness. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share