mischievous
/'mistʃivəs/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Deliberately causing harm or damage: Characterized by a desire or tendency to cause trouble or minor injury, often in a way that is not seriously malicious but is still harmful or disruptive.
- Naughtily or annoyingly playful: Behaving in a way that is full of playful fun but is also troublesome, teasing, or irritating.
Examples of Usage
Deliberately causing harm or damage:
- The politician accused the newspaper of spreading mischievous lies about his past.
- Cutting down those trees was a mischievous act of vandalism.
Naughtily or annoyingly playful:
- The mischievous puppy hid all of my shoes.
- She gave me a mischievous grin before revealing the surprise.
Advanced Usage
"with mischievous intent": with the purpose of causing playful trouble or minor harm.
- The software update was not a bug but was deployed with mischievous intent to confuse users temporarily.
"a mischievous streak": a persistent trait of being playfully troublesome.
- Despite his serious job, he has a mischievous streak and loves practical jokes.
Variants and Related Words
Mischievously (adverb): In a mischievous manner.
- He smiled mischievously, knowing he had won the bet.
Mischievousness (noun): The quality or state of being mischievous.
- The child's mischievousness was endearing but exhausting for his parents.
Synonyms
- Impish: Playfully mischievous.
- Puckish: Whimsically mischievous.
- Rogueish: Engaging in mild, disreputable, or playful mischief.
- Prankish: Fond of playing pranks.
- Waggish: Humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious manner.
Antonyms
- Well-behaved: Conducting oneself in a proper manner.
- Obedient: Complying with commands or instructions.
- Solemn: Formal and dignified; not cheerful or smiling.
Related Idioms and Phrases
"Full of mischief": Behaving in a very mischievous way.
- Stay away from him today; he's full of mischief.
"The mischief in one's eyes": A visible glint or expression suggesting playful, troublemaking thoughts.
- You could see the mischief in his eyes as he planned the prank.
Adjective
- deliberately causing harm or damage
- mischievous rumors and falsehoods
- naughtily or annoyingly playful
- teasing and worrying with impish laughter
- a wicked prank