mischief
Americannoun
-
conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance.
-
a tendency or disposition to tease, vex, or annoy.
-
a vexatious or annoying action.
-
harm or trouble, especially as a result of an agent or cause.
- Synonyms:
- hurt
-
an injury or evil caused by a person or other agent or cause.
-
a cause or source of harm, evil, or annoyance.
-
the devil.
noun
-
wayward but not malicious behaviour, usually of children, that causes trouble, irritation, etc
-
a playful inclination to behave in this way or to tease or disturb
-
injury or harm caused by a person or thing
-
a person, esp a child, who is mischievous
-
a source of trouble, difficulty, etc
floods are a great mischief to the farmer
Synonym Usage
See damage.
Etymology
Origin of mischief
1250–1300; Middle English meschef < Old French, noun derivative of meschever to end badly, come to grief. See mis- 1, achieve
Explanation
People who pull pranks, make jokes, and do things that annoy other people — but aren't really awful — are good at mischief. Mischief is a word for things that are a little bad or reckless but ultimately harmless. Hitting someone with a spitball is mischief. Hitting them with a rock is dangerous and therefore much worse than mischief. Making mischief can be fun, as long as it doesn't get out of hand. People who do a lot of mischief are called "mischievous."
Vocabulary lists containing mischief
"Mending Wall," by Robert Frost
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Lincoln Inaugural Address (March 1861)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The mischief offence carries a punishment of up to two years in jail on conviction and a fine, according to the charge sheet.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
A French teenager who allegedly licked a straw from an orange juice vending machine before putting it back into its dispenser has been charged with committing mischief and being a public nuisance in Singapore.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
His tics are not naughty mischief but an uncontrollable action.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
In the early ’90s, a distinct penchant for mischief and a grittily glamorous New York edge quickly earned Jacobs the moniker of fashion’s bad boy.
From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026
There is something about sudden darkness in a classroom of twenty-four sixth graders that sets off mischief.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
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.
