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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in monkey
an appealingly mischievous person
he's a little mischief who means no harm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of mischief
Most people will remember him not only for being a great musician and entertainer, but also for being fun-loving and full of mischief.
—
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2025
Same spirit of mischief, totally different brand of mayhem.
—Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 7 Jan. 2025
The pair are accused of criminal mischief, intimidation and counseling people to break the law for their roles in the demonstration, with a verdict expected in March.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
The suspect was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and retail theft, records show.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mischief 
Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 14 Jan. 2025
Same spirit of mischief, totally different brand of mayhem.
—Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 7 Jan. 2025
The pair are accused of criminal mischief, intimidation and counseling people to break the law for their roles in the demonstration, with a verdict expected in March.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
The suspect was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and retail theft, records show.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mischief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischief
Noun
-
The pair also express disbelief at the wide U.S. release of the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, in which the singer is portrayed as a CGI monkey.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
20 Jan. 2025
-
The quirky movie, in which a CGI monkey portrays the British singer Robbie Williams, scraped together $255,000 from 1,290 theaters over the weekend and $310,000 through Monday, bringing its domestic tally to an embarrassing $1.8 million.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Play devil’s advocate, explore worst-case scenarios and invite constructive criticism.—
Mark Kane,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Against Djokovic, that battle can become a devil’s choice.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Less familiar is the part that his American wife, Fanny Stevenson (née Van de Grift), played in juicing up the story’s plot to establish Edward Hyde’s wickedness early on.—
Tobias Grey,
airmail.news,
10 Aug. 2024
-
Burkhart’s wickedness is more intimate, more complex, more human.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
2 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
As shown in his previous films, Eggers’ sensibility has roots not in contemporary horror but in stories from centuries past that become vivid and febrile, alive with an insidious devilry that inches under your skin.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
2 Dec. 2024
-
That’s enough devilry to explain at least much of Haiti’s challenges without resorting to tales of satanic influence.—
Matthew Brown,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2024
Noun
-
That’s flimflam, that’s roguery.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2022
-
America, this is a level of pure double-dealing, roguery, and downright villainy ne’er witnessed on this television program.—
Ali Barthwell,
Vulture,
7 Sep. 2021
Thesaurus Entries Near mischief
Cite this Entry
“Mischief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischief. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share