1
as in devilment
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
the children claimed that setting off a firecracker was harmless mischief, but they got a lecture anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playfulness
a natural disposition for playful behavior
your mother was full of mischief as a child, believe it or not
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in monkey
an appealingly mischievous person
he's a little mischief who means no harm
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mischief
He was charged with with burglary, two counts of criminal mischief, and breach of bail.
—
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
For audiences, the echo chamber that develops in the villas can seem debilitating to a possible reconciliation, but Walberg says that there are invariably a few authentic souls whose support is sincere rather than a tactic to get them into mischief.
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
Reid is facing 10 charges, including burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, burglary of an occupied dwelling and criminal mischief of more than $200 but less than $1,000, jail records show.
—Sofia Saric
may 7, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Eight people were arrested at the demonstration, Gothamist said, and were charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
For audiences, the echo chamber that develops in the villas can seem debilitating to a possible reconciliation, but Walberg says that there are invariably a few authentic souls whose support is sincere rather than a tactic to get them into mischief.
—Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
Reid is facing 10 charges, including burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, burglary of an occupied dwelling and criminal mischief of more than $200 but less than $1,000, jail records show.
—Sofia Saric
may 7, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Eight people were arrested at the demonstration, Gothamist said, and were charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischief
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
Noun
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There’s a playfulness, there’s a twinkle in the eye, there’s a sort of tongue in the cheek to that sort of tradition.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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In an era where trust in leadership is at an all-time low, playfulness is a competitive advantage.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Humans looked evolutionarily weird The research team analyzed handedness data from 2,025 individuals across 41 species of monkeys and apes.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
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Charli is a mini purple monkey that fits right on your finger.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Social media users can’t get enough of Chico’s antics, as many lauded his mischievousness.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Soon, the America’s Got Talent stage descended into pure chaos, with Cowell and Mandel showcasing their innate mischievousness before the latter turned his attention toward his fellow judges.—
Tyler Jenke,
Billboard,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This is the aforementioned devil’s chair.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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And, yes, there is a literal devil in this one, which won’t be a surprise to anyone familiar with LaValle’s novel.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Noun
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That’s how Trip Cullman’s taut, take-no-prisoners production plays it — the pulse is allegro, the casual tone spiked with gasp-inducing wickedness.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
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An opinion offered offhand suggests a secret wickedness that must be exorcised.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 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
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Dancing spirits, dressed in Victorian-era garb, stir up devilry as the night unfolds.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
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If Michael Jackson moonwalked so that Prince could show us the face of God with his brain-melting 2007 set, the NFL’s reaction to Fox’s inspired bit of devilry set the stage for the league’s eventual takeover of the American psyche.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mischief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischief. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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