1
as in hijinks
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
hockey players who are known for their monkeyshines on and off the ice
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in trick
a playful or mischievous act intended as a joke
on the alert for paleontological monkeyshines ever since the unmasking of Piltdown man
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkeyshines
Noun
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One trick to capture slugs is to lay a board down next to a row crop and check the underside in the morning to gather the slugs.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 July 2025 -
Truth is, finding universal tips and tricks for keeping your cortisol levels stable first thing in the morning and when leaving the house is tough.—
Ana Morales,
Vogue,
5 July 2025
Noun
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The other person who spoke in South Carolina, Tim Walz, is a special mixture of extreme buffoonery and a mean spirit, which is a toxic brew.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2025
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Certainly hope none of you will be complicit in this buffoonery.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The next month, he was suspended after testing positive for testosterone, a caper that involved a fake website built on his behalf in a ham-handed effort to exonerate him.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
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His final role came earlier this year, in Netflix’s White House caper The Residence.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
4 July 2025
Noun
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Growing up, the de Kooning home became an unofficial meeting ground for creative tomfoolery: Lisa de Kooning was a firm believer in play.—
Alessandra Schade,
Vogue,
7 June 2025
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Another aspect to note is that the AI didn’t ridicule me or otherwise play any tomfoolery about my need for assistance.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
Noun
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And the audience was eager to be swept away on another escapade with these stylish and scheming women.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
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After their escapades, the bear pair returned to their enclosure with the help of an expert keeper.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Butch Baker, who was Henry County sheriff until 2014, recalled an incident in which Bertram was accused of inappropriate horseplay at the community corrections office.—
Tony Cook,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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The action anime feature for everyone who couldn’t get enough of the horseplay in The Two Towers has finally cantered onto Max.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Cats prefer to sleep on left side The Internet was made for cats, especially YouTube, which features millions of videos of varying quality, documenting the crazy antics of our furry feline friends.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2025
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The band is also no stranger to controversy, mostly due Healy’s antics both on and off stage.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
27 June 2025
Noun
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In your experience, do people fidget to purposely get non-conclusive results?—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
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Nearby, counselors track each child’s progress on individualized goals — following directions, taking turns, handling disappointment — skills that will transform their experiences when school begins again.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Monkeyshines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeyshines. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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