1
as in prank
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
the sort of frat-boy knaveries that become the stuff of campus legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm
suspects some knavery going on in the political campaign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knavery
Noun
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Anoka, Minnesota, began its Halloween celebrations in 1920 to curb destructive pranks by local youths.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025 -
Instead, the suspects resold them both in Spain and abroad, including in Morocco and Romania, turning what might seem like a small-scale prank into a lucrative criminal enterprise.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The electric version starts the same, but that plaintive wail sounds more like a call to mischief.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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When a mysterious prankster befalls the town of Middlesburg, 13-year-old Frances McCausland (Erin Chambers) gets blamed for the mischief.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the weeks leading up to Halloween, Newman continues to share wig tips ahead of partying and trick-or-treating.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Apple and caramel dips Apples are a top-tier fall fruit and a healthy, on-theme choice for trick-or-treaters.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
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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
Noun
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That’s flimflam, that’s roguery.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2022
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His own father, famously, had been a confidence trickster, and le Carré was therefore all too well equipped to mount a lifelong investigation into the uses of roguery, not to mention sleights of hand, some of them amounting to a national disgrace.—
Anthony Lane,
The New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2020
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
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Cite this Entry
“Knavery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knavery. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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