1
as in hijinks
usually monkeyshines plural
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
hockey players who are known for their monkeyshines on and off the ice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in trick
usually monkeyshines plural
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
on the alert for paleontological monkeyshines ever since the unmasking of Piltdown man
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkeyshine
Noun
-
From fashion tips and tricks to tween and teen hair and nails, our back-to-school style guide has a little bit of everything.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
29 July 2025 -
So begins a scrappy come-up story, about older dogs learning new tricks to revitalize a dying print industry.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Stewart’s switch from his usual snark to imitate Colbert’s buffoonery proved how spiteful and irreligious political humor has become since the left’s worship of Barack Obama and subsequent persecution of President Trump.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 July 2025
-
The other person who spoke in South Carolina, Tim Walz, is a special mixture of extreme buffoonery and a mean spirit, which is a toxic brew.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
Beginning with an elaborate caper and car chase through the streets of Cairo that would make Tom Cruise jealous, The Bad Guys 2 seeks to outshine the original at every turn.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
24 July 2025
-
Then, Tony's security company is hacked, leading to a thrilling espionage caper in which the couple must enlist the help of new friends to clear their names and secure their happy ending once more.—
Ryan Coleman Updated,
EW.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Butch Baker, who was Henry County sheriff until 2014, recalled an incident in which Bertram was accused of inappropriate horseplay at the community corrections office.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
-
The action anime feature for everyone who couldn’t get enough of the horseplay in The Two Towers has finally cantered onto Max.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Between that time Matt Rogers witnessed The View cohost's shenanigans on a flight from the Bahamas to her numerous visits to Pope Francis in recent years, Goldberg addressed Tuesday on the talk show that fans have noticed her jet-setting escapades around the world.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
8 July 2025
-
The toxicity of these escapades in the minds of many Americans is partly why Trump and his Republican supporters are so avowedly against interventionism.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park has some monkey business going on: updates to its primate and other animal habitats, educational buildings and pathways.—
Lillian Ashworth,
Oc Register,
18 July 2025
-
Do a direct export from the original system—no monkey business.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
The unofficial holiday encourages pulling light-hearted pranks, practical jokes, hoaxes or hijinks on others.—
David Wysong,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
-
And thus Hayes' rival is Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris), a young driver in his first season who sees no reason to trust a driver whose arrival in his team mid-season seems more like a practical joke.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2022
-
The Winx Club live action is a big clownery!—
Olivia Truffaut-Wong,
refinery29.com,
25 Jan. 2021
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.
Cite this Entry
“Monkeyshine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeyshine. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share