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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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

Directed by Richard Lester, the 1964 film followed the crew over two days as the band struggled to keep themselves and Paul McCartney’s mischievous grandfather in check while preparing for a live TV performance.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
In this charming graphic novel, the mischievous Norse god Loki gets banished to mid-Guard—AKA Earth—as punishment and must adjust to a month of life as an 11-year-old boy and document his journey in a journal.

— Kavya Dhillon, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of mischievous

Adjective

Both our indignation when the wicked flourish and our sorrow when the righteous suffer have their source in this assumption.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
After crash landing on the dark world directly onto the homing beacon, EO and his crazy crew are apprehended by a gang of warrior henchmen and hauled into the throne room to face the wicked alien ruler who is imprisoned in anger and hate.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of wicked

Adjective

The Moon enters Capricorn and your playful 5th house, inviting you toward hobbies, romance, creativity, and pleasure.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
The shoe was elevated by a heel with a crystal cube design at the base, contributing a sense of glamour and a playful geometric aesthetic.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of playful

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wagging

waggish

waggishness

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“Waggish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggish. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of waggish

adjective

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