antic

American  

[an-tik] / ˈæn tɪk /

noun

1. Usually antics.

   1. a playful trick or prank; caper.

   2. a grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.

2. Archaic.

   1. an actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation.

   2. a buffoon; clown.

3. Obsolete.

   1. a grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude.

   2. a grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.

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adjective

1. ludicrous; funny.

2. fantastic; odd; grotesque.

   an antic disposition.

verb (used without object)

anticked, anticking

1. Obsolete. to perform antics; caper.

antic British  

/ ˈæntɪk /

noun

1. archaic an actor in a ludicrous or grotesque part; clown; buffoon

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adjective

1. archaic fantastic; grotesque

Other Word Forms

• antically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of antic

1520–30; earlier antike, antique < Italian antico ancient (< Latin antīcus, antīquus; see antique), apparently taken to mean “grotesque,” as used in descriptions of fantastic figures found in Roman ruins

Explanation

An antic is a prank to the extreme. It’s outrageous, but it’s usually meant to be funny. When the senior class steals the principal’s car and manages to get it inside the gym, the antic may be condemned by the school, but everyone else probably thinks it’s hilarious. The noun antic is most commonly used in the plural form, as in “the coach was growing tired of his star player’s silly antics after scoring.” Sometimes antics can lean toward the not-so-funny side as well. Really ridiculous behavior that is more foolish than funny can also be called antics. Antic can also be used an as adjective, as in "her antic stand-up routine had everyone rolling in the aisles." It more infrequently can be used as a verb meaning "to act like a clown."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

antic anticked anticking

But that capacity to feel deeply, especially when that feeling is the heart-wrenching universal antic that is love, brings with it some degree of suffering.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Edwards is eventually acquitted, but the trial becomes so laborious that it loses its antic charm.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

He was substituted after just one minute having not touched the ball, but the publicity antic sparked a major backlash.

From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2025

The agility competition might be the rhythmic gymnastics of Westminster, derided as less than by traditionalists, but it’s a growing sport with meritocratic principles and an air of antic fun in its favor.

From Seattle Times ● May 12, 2024

We found ourselves looking forward to coming to school, to seeing what bizarre antic she’d be up to.

From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli

Some gave a shout, some rolled about, And anticked as they rode, And butchers whistled on their curs, And milkmen tally-hoed.

From The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood by Hood, Thomas

And he galloped on, as cheery as a boy, shouting at the rabbits as they scuttled from under his feet, and laughing at the dottrel as they postured and anticked on the mole-hills.

From Hereward, the Last of the English by Kingsley, Charles

Milling crowds, jammed doorways, the continuous free street show put on by the anticking Legionnaires was the answer.

From Time Magazine Archive

Jerry no more than cocked a contemptuous quizzical eye at the mainsail anticking above him. 

From Jerry of the Islands by London, Jack

She fixed her eyes upon the small prophets and patriarchs anticking upon the hearth.

From The History of Sir Richard Calmady A Romance by Malet, Lucas

I thought you scoffed at all baritones, and only delighted in maudlin tenors and anticking sopranos.

From The Dominant Strain by Edwards, H. C. (Harry C.)

And so she looked very hard at the hungry anticking rooks, both to secure time for recovery of her equanimity, and also to spare Richard smallest suspicion that she avoided beholding his advance and installation.

From The History of Sir Richard Calmady A Romance by Malet, Lucas

Related Words

• joke
• shenanigan
• trick