WAGGISH Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

waggish

adjective

ˈwa-gish

Definition of waggish

as in mischievous

tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness a waggish disposition that often got him into trouble as a child

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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 waggish The waggish jeer that subverts the Reich Chancellery, designed by Adolf Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, must have sent the woman who chastises children for flatulent folly into a tizzy. — Natasha Gural, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025 After publishing a New York Times piece about grieving her late husband, the waggish writer received an email from a kindly old acquaintance who was also recently widowed. — Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 Foreman’s own work was waggish, so the Off Off Broadway Wooster production is frequently tongue-in-cheek. — Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2024

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggish

Adjective

The monkeys are adorable from a distance and mischievous up close.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
On their full-length debut, the buzzy NYC siblings pay tribute to the fuckboy charm of the aughts with their precocious, mischievous, and rapidly evolving pop music.

— Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of mischievous

Adjective

Mischa Glooshkoff, aka Michael Graves, has light brown curls, a wicked grin, and a wiry frame—perfect casting for the grand boulevardier who would lead my naïve young father astray.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
There’s also the problem of Angelique’s wicked stepmother, Argan’s gold-digging second wife, Beline.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of wicked

Adjective

That hasn’t changed much on Heavy Is the Crown, especially since Cordae spends a chunk of this otherwise fleet and playful album lagging behind his sparring partner.

— Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
Qiu’s eloquence lies in such playful gestures, which are pleasurable for their own sake.

— Mark Asch, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of playful

Browse Nearby Words

wagging

waggish

waggishness

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“Waggish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggish. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of waggish

adjective

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