1
as in wicked
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
the children had been so mischievous that we had to pay the babysitter extra and then clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
punished for their mischievous tricks on the neighbors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
causing or capable of causing harm
mischievous gossip that ruined a good teacher's reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mischievous
Matthew Broderick will forever be Ferris Bueller, the mischievous main character of the 1986 John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
—
Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Berfield played Reese, Malcolm's mischievous older brother.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
His mischievous look reappears.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Fierce in expression but controlled in form, the 1959 LP draws out a rootsy warmth from beneath the bebop that had consumed bandstands since World War II, forging a sound that feels at once confrontational, mischievous, and generous.
—Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Berfield played Reese, Malcolm's mischievous older brother.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
His mischievous look reappears.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Fierce in expression but controlled in form, the 1959 LP draws out a rootsy warmth from beneath the bebop that had consumed bandstands since World War II, forging a sound that feels at once confrontational, mischievous, and generous.
—Daniel Felsenthal, Pitchfork, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischievous
Adjective
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The 23-year-old is said to be wicked smart, like Purdy, the 49ers star who led San Francisco to a Super Bowl less than two years after going last in the 2022 draft out of Iowa Sate.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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This wicked man is named Tobias Thornhill.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His tics are not naughty mischief, but an uncontrollable action.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Paltrow has been savvy at selling herself as naughty and nice.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The procedures noted that in some cases, outing students to parents could be dangerous to their health and well-being, and school officials should ask the students for consent to notify their parents of the support plan.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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The world is more dangerous for leaders, across multiple dimensions.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Its founder, Mara McCarthy, is the daughter of Conceptual artist Paul McCarthy, who gained prominence in the 1990s for his playful installations critiquing pop culture and featuring such unusual materials as peanut butter, chocolate, and anal plugs.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
27 Apr. 2026
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The video offers a playful reminder of just how far remote work has evolved.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Ossai isn’t a bad pass rusher either, getting five sacks in each of the last two seasons, a total that somehow would’ve ranked second on the Jets last season.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But research has shown that several metabolic and heart diseases impair the immune system’s ability to moderate inflammation—causing harmful levels of inflammation in response to high cholesterol, fat or glucose.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
27 Apr. 2026
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Today, 87% of agricultural subsidies are environmentally or socially harmful.—
Carlos Alvarado Quesada,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The finding speaks to the cleverness of Kea (Nestor notabilis), mountain-dwelling parrots with a reputation for impish intelligence.—
Elizabeth Anne Brown,
Scientific American,
20 Apr. 2026
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Like the impish anti-romance that crumbles around it, the movie’s twist is both transgressive enough to be pleased with itself and also rooted in a reality that refuses to be dismissed as a bad joke.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Additionally, there were no serious adverse effects reported.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
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There were no concerns over safety or adverse events.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
Video
'Mispronunciations' That May Be Fine
'Mischievous,' 'nuclear,' and other words to pronounce with caution.
Cite this Entry
“Mischievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischievous. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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