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

Catching mischievous agents in real time The Hugging Face incident reveals the importance of real-time monitoring.

— Harry Booth, Time, 24 July 2026
Everyone’s favorite fast-running, mischievous, coin-collecting hedgehog is turning 35.

— Drew Pittock, USA Today, 20 July 2026

Definition of mischievous

Adjective

Grass skirts fly as women perform the wicked-fast Tahitian Otea dance, and the audience holds its breath during the Samoan fire knife performance.

— Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
Among Ashley’s many sins, none were more wicked than the alienation of club legends, particularly Keegan.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of wicked

Adjective

The stone in the shower had an almost iridescent quality to it, reminiscent of a seashell, a playful nod to Maui’s beaches.

— Ronee Uyeshiro, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026
Pieces that are personal, playful, and don’t quite match are the ones that make a room or an outfit unmistakably one’s own.

— ALEX EAGLE, Vogue, 26 July 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 28 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of waggish

adjective

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