as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
friends had left the risqué message on his voice mail as a practical joke
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of practical joke
His favorite thing to do was to pull practical jokes on our manager, Blake.
—
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 19 July 2024
Baseball players are notorious for playing practical jokes on one another.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
His latest film is a feature-length practical joke that centers around a false origin story for a 42-year-old song whose relevance only fades with each passing year.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2024
Dogs shot for no reason (and then used as props for gruesome practical jokes by the EMTs).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for practical joke 
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 19 July 2024
Baseball players are notorious for playing practical jokes on one another.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024
His latest film is a feature-length practical joke that centers around a false origin story for a 42-year-old song whose relevance only fades with each passing year.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Sep. 2024
Dogs shot for no reason (and then used as props for gruesome practical jokes by the EMTs).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for practical joke
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practical joke
Noun
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The commercial centered on forgetfulness — like the husband-wife duo calling the Spice Girls the cinnamon sisters and the singer thinking that his face tattoos are a scribbled prank.—
Sabrina Weiss,
People.com,
27 Jan. 2025
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Before the episode ends, reunion host Maria Menounos plays an incredible prank on Bananas by pretending to give him the floor to make a toast... and then cutting him off for time.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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It’s never been easier to learn grooming tips and tricks.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2025
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The trick for both actors was playing the multiple levels without getting too technical and playing things dishonestly as a result.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The restaurant ships its fish in from Japan, and the experience starts at $165 per person.—
Hadley Hitson,
The Tennessean,
3 Feb. 2025
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To use the newest experience of Facebook, switch to a supported browser.—
facebook.com,
facebook.com,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com.—
Jackie Burrell,
The Mercury News,
3 Feb. 2025
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The Superhero Soirée invited guests in Lake Forest to step into a world of heroism and adventure for an event honoring the dynamic duo of fathers and daughters.—
Gina Grillo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near practical joke
Cite this Entry
“Practical joke.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practical%20joke. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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