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 laugh
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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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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That mischief led to Arenas’ original instance of being hit with charges — when his back and forth with Washington Wizards teammate Javaris Crittenton led to big trouble at the end of 2009.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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In 2024, he was accused of assault, battery and criminal mischief — charges that stemmed from three separate incidents.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Watch the scene where the three men stop at a bar in D.C. Meadows laughs for the first time — a shy, honest laugh.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 July 2025
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Nixon’s spirit drew appreciative laughs from the crowd throughout the competition.—
Calista Oetama,
Sacbee.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The marijuana photos that appeared this weekend when people googled Taylor Police Department were likely a prank that, for a moment, had some in the community snickering, including the deputy chief.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
14 July 2025
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What starts as a simple favor to keep her great-niece turns into a wild Halloween night filled with jump scares and pranks — but as usual, nothing frightens her more than bad manners and disrespect. Boo 2!—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
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Chinese officials in the eastern province of Zhejiang have put stand-up comics on notice to avoid jokes that could fuel resentment between the sexes.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
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According to the site, there were allegedly posts that included fat-shaming and rape jokes, among other topics via the Q&A platform Curious Cat.—
Ilana Kaplan,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
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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
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Over the years, Johnson has learned some tricks to help acquaint himself with new colleagues, from researching the background of management or coaches or looking up teammates on Madden to know a bit about their game.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
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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He is played by Ethan Hawke, a mainstay of Linklater’s movies, in a remarkable amalgam of bitterness, exuberance, drollery, tenderness, frustration, and tremendous artistic passion.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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Matthew Rankin’s latest surreal comedy, between hilarious drollery and bitter disillusionment.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
18 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Waggery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggery. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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