RASCAL Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

rascal

noun

ˈra-skəl

Definition of rascal

as in monkey

an appealingly mischievous person you little rascal, I saw you snitching some hors d'oeuvres even though our guests haven't even arrived yet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in villain

a mean, evil, or unprincipled person some cold-blooded rascal had set the barn afire

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 rascal In the years since 2004’s Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Penn’s carved out a niche embodying big-talking, attention-grabbing rascals who say inappropriate things, then shrug their way through the consequences. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026 In a time when unemployment is on the rise and the rich are running amok and wreaking havoc on the poor — and the social services in place to support them — who doesn’t love the idea of rogue rascals sticking it to a bougie institution by running off with its crown jewels? — Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Nov. 2025 The hilarious hijinks that ensue are centered on a rugby-playing rascal whose initial interests in pulling chicks and working get-rich-quick schemes give way to a lifelong love of writing poetry in the post-Soviet-occupation era of the 1990s. — Courtney Howard, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025 And Eli was, at times, a bit of a rascal. — David Kamp, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rascal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rascal

Noun

The viral reel that originated the chant features two women, who seem to be in their early 20s, dressed in casual streetwear, leading the chant while a man holds a poster depicting Modi as a little monkey.

— Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
In early 2025, the hospital’s ethics committee approved the clinical trial, before the final results of one of the preclinical studies on monkeys was released, Science reported.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026

Definition of monkey

Noun

In July, Roku made the city even more interactive with a new brand campaign that guides users to visit six themed areas featuring humorous promo spots, including a pirate ship, a volcano and a villain’s evil lair.

— Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Still, bonus points for casting Chukwudi Iwuji as the menacing High Evolutionary, one of the oddest and most unsettling Marvel villains in recent memory.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of villain

Noun

Indeed, Aston Villa, who have frequently danced with the regulatory devil, have shuttered their North Stand for redevelopment and expansion this season, taking a hit to income now in exchange for bigger returns in the future.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
When Bob calls him a devil for shooting his own blood, Max doesn't flinch.

— JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026

Definition of devil

Noun

For additional context, the war against the Locust kicks off only a few weeks after the 79-year conflict between human factions known as the Pendulum Wars, which explains why the COG wasn't in the best of conditions when the monsters attacked.

— Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Kuwaki was the clubhouse leader on 5-under-par when Henseleit dropped a monster 40ft putt to birdie the 18th, taking the final major of the year to a sudden-death playoff.

— Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of monster

Noun

And potentially discover treasure that will keep the savages at home from tearing the place down.

— Barry Collins, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Iggy Pop’s eternal lust for life Iggy Pop’s ability to stay shirtless and savage at 79 goes beyond scientific explanation.

— Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of savage

Noun

More than a year earlier, Arlington, Massachusetts sent four straight monthly payments totaling $446,000 to a criminal who had impersonated a real vendor and asked to switch from paper checks to electronic transfer.

— Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Do not ignore a small charge because criminals sometimes use minor transactions to test an account.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of criminal

Noun

But Roy Cohn—an American scoundrel and the lawyer who helped send Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to the electric chair, aided Senator Joseph McCarthy in implementing the Red Scare, and showed Trump the ropes in the real-estate business—was long gone.

— Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
And the surviving cartel scoundrels take the parting shot by kidnapping beloved Carter, putting a hood on him and taking the boy off.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of scoundrel

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rarity

rascal

rascality

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“Rascal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rascal. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of rascal

noun

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