mischievous

adjective

ˈmis-chə-vəs How to pronounce mischievous (audio)
Definition of mischievousnext
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

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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

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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

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 mischievous The stories feature the titular George, a mischievous, tailless, almost-always-smiling monkey exploring New York City, and his human companion, the Man in the Yellow Hat. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 The extended chords radiated color, but despite the influence of hip-hop and video-game music, the playing felt less mischievous than relentlessly mechanical. — Rae-Aila Crumble, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026 The former child star played mischievous middle child Randy Taylor on the Tim Allen sitcom. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Catching mischievous agents in real time The Hugging Face incident reveals the importance of real-time monitoring. — Harry Booth, Time, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischievous
  1. wicked
  2. naughty
  3. dangerous
  4. playful
  5. bad
  6. harmful
  7. impish
  8. adverse
Adjective
  • The electric 2026 Subaru Uncharted GT is wicked fast on the highway but rugged enough to tackle off-road duties.
    — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Ben Affleck and a Jeopardy alum are putting their wicked smarts to good use.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • When Martín is kidnapped by a monster, Cleo ventures into the jungle to rescue him, aided by an elderly witch and a naughty anteater.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 9 July 2026
  • People would hang from windows, encouraging you to do naughty things, and my thumb has never been sorer from back-and-forth gestures.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of naughty
Adjective
  • Ultimately, swarms of AI could combine in rather disconcerting and dangerous ways.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Nikolai’s identity as a dissident made remaining in the country dangerous.
    — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Styled with a suede coat, relaxed jeans, and Tabi flats, this look proves the playful accessory isn’t just for summer.
    — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Uniting these jokes is a streak of playful irreverence, a facility for tempering challenging ideas with American cultural references, and a reluctance to provide more explanation than necessary.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Sensing a disconnect or worse, a feeling of being forgotten, Campbell this summer invited some of the men who wrote those letters to campus.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Dry weather periods are expected in Colorado, and wildfires tend to be worse during these times.
    — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • These spurious claims about childhood vaccines will only increase vaccine hesitation with harmful results.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One reason for this is that peppermint oil has known antimicrobial properties and can destroy harmful microorganisms.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • While fans have a deep understanding of his animation style and impish personality, little is actually known about the creator’s backstory.
    — Kyle MacNeill, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Kutsuna has an impish twinkle; Yamada mutely swans about in a daze like an opium fiend.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of impish
Adjective
  • And the very review of the arch that identified its adverse effects is in the crosshairs of the administration.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The Coastal Commission is widely expected to take any adverse ruling to court, potentially arguing that the federal government can’t deny a state its fundamental rights — in this case, a say over projects that affect its economy — over politics.
    — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of adverse

Browse Nearby Words

mischiefs
mischievous
mischievousness
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Cite this Entry

“Mischievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischievous. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of mischievous for Spanish Speakers

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