1
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
tossing lighted firecrackers around is not the kind of harmless waggery that it might seem
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
Will Rogers' homespun waggeries struck a chord with audiences during the Great Depression
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
her innocent little waggeries usually involved whoopee cushions or fake snakes in cans
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waggery
To ask you to step into the parlor was Maggie’s favorite waggery, the divisions of her cabin being purely imaginary.
—
Gertrude A. Zerr, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Gertrude A. Zerr, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggery
Noun
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Four other charges in that case — including assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child — were dismissed with prejudice, the records show.—
Meriam Bouarrouj,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Christopher Nastasa, 39, was arrested on 19 charges, including robbery, assault, petit larceny and criminal mischief as hate crimes, for the March 17 attack, according to police.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No this is not a joke…Retro Weather Channel is officially back!—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
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The response to the outcry led to even more jokes online.—
Bennett Conlin,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Of course, the pranks are all in good fun, with owners keeping things safe and playful.—
Kendall Malinchock,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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And for 2026, the channel pulled off its creepiest prank yet, with a terrifying claymation short lifted from a one of their most popular shows.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Others will tell you that the day and its playfulness were inspired by an Egyptian legend.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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For example, when Les unleashes the couple's cat Magoo on Lindy, Banks expected a certain level of playfulness.—
Sarah Rodman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Bauers clearly hit the base square in the middle, and the call was quickly overturned, leading to laughs from both managers, the Rays’ Kevin Cash and the Brewers’ Pat Murphy.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Write a quick Easter joke on a sheet of paper and include it in your kids' lunch boxes the week of Easter for a sweet midday laugh, caption an Instagram post, or leave some surprise puns inside Easter eggs at the hunt.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Old dog learns new tricks UConn forward Alex Karaban, who played on the 2023 and ’24 champions, is attempting to become the first non-UCLA player to win three national championships.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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
-
There was none of the usual laughing and joking.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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Lindsay says that Jesse was serious about asking, but that the make-out would be a joking make-out.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggery. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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