roguish
Americanadjective
-
playfully mischievous.
a roguish smile.
-
pertaining to, characteristic of, or acting like a rogue; knavish or unscrupulous.
adjective
-
dishonest or unprincipled
-
mischievous or arch
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of roguish
Explanation
To be roguish is to be up to no good, which could mean being untrustworthy like a criminal or playful and mischievous. If someone gives you a roguish smile, he’s totally flirting with you. You can't trust someone who acts roguish in the bad way, like the roguish crook who picks your pocket while telling you how lovely you look. On the other hand, you might like someone who acts roguish in the second sense, which means playfully mischievous. Being roguish in this way might mean playing pranks, telling racy jokes, and being a little wild. Roguish behavior like this can still be annoying, like if your roguish roommate at camp short-sheets your bed.
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.
But Gouzer said he expects Banksy’s market to keep rebuilding, thanks to a fresh influx of younger tech collectors and international wild-card buyers who admire the roguish way Banksy skewers societal ills.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
When the soap started more than six decades ago, Lowrie's character was seen as a national heartthrob thanks to his roguish role.
From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2025
Dressed in a brown leather jacket, crisply pressed blue jeans and a cream-colored cowboy hat, he sticks out his hand and says, “I’m Charley with an –ey,” then flashes a roguish grin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2025
“He has boyish charm and likeability, that impish, roguish element to him,” Seymour said.
From Washington Times ● May 31, 2023
“Same to you,” said the Fat Lady with a roguish grin, and she swung forward to admit them.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
