as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
switching the entrance and exits signs in the school parking lot may seem like harmless rascality, if you're not the one involved in an accident
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Recent Examples of rascality
Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Naturally, such rascality didn't do overall fuel economy any favors; in fact, my average was just 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) over the course of 125 miles at the E 350's helm.
—Peter Nelson, Ars Technica, 18 Apr. 2024
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Naturally, such rascality didn't do overall fuel economy any favors; in fact, my average was just 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) over the course of 125 miles at the E 350's helm.
—Peter Nelson, Ars Technica, 18 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rascality
Noun
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His tics are not naughty mischief, but an uncontrollable action.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
No one in Florida had been charged with criminal mischief for defacing a traffic control device until the August arrests.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 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 already this sort of more classical literary style and these more ornate sentences that are doing three different things at once, and some of the playfulness and the provocative and the prurient and the spiritual kind of call to care for the least of the people.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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Much of the time is spent interacting with young schoolchildren, with whom Galifianakis exhibits a deadpan playfulness — testing them on names of apple varieties (McIntosh?—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rascality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rascality. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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