mischievous

[mis-chuh-vuhs] / ˈmɪs tʃə vəs /

ADJECTIVE

devilish, wicked

Synonyms

STRONGEST

impish malicious naughty playful rude sly

WEAK

arch artful bad bothersome damaging dangerous deleterious destructive detrimental evil exasperating foxy frolicsome harmful hazardous hurtful ill ill-behaved injurious insidious irksome malignant misbehaving perilous pernicious precarious puckish rascal rascally risky sinful spiteful sportive teasing tricky troublesome vexatious vexing vicious wayward

Antonyms

STRONGEST

behaved good kind

WEAK

nice obedient

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When McKellen does emerge, wearing a blue zip-up hoodie and black sweatpants, he has a mischievous look in his eye.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

News of Eric Dane’s death Thursday was met with an outpouring of grief by celebrities, who expressed their admiration for the TV star’s mischievous on-screen charisma and his advocacy efforts during his battle against ALS.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

"He was cheeky, mischievous and loving, and he'd do anything for anyone," she said.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

As he says this, he cracks a mischievous smile.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

I thought my complaint would rub her the wrong way, but she just gives me a mischievous smile, as if she likes pushing my buttons.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Vocabulary lists containing mischievous

List 2

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Walk Two Moons

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

"Uprising," Vocabulary from the historical novel

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!