prank

¹ American  

[prangk] / præŋk /

noun

1. a trick of an amusing, playful, or sometimes malicious nature.

   Synonyms:

   shenanigan, antic, escapade, caper

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prank ² American  

[prangk] / præŋk /

verb (used with object)

1. to dress or adorn in an ostentatious manner.

   They were all pranked out in their fanciest clothes.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make an ostentatious show or display.

prank ¹ British  

/ præŋk /

verb

1. (tr) to dress or decorate showily or gaudily

2. (intr) to make an ostentatious display

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prank ² British  

/ præŋk /

noun

1. a mischievous trick or joke, esp one in which something is done rather than said

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Usage

What is a prank call? A prank call or crank call is when a person calls someone up to make a joke or play a trick on them. Teenagers may make prank calls to random people while comedians may use them to dupe political figures. Though meant to be humorous and playful, they can have serious consequences.

Other Word Forms

• prankish adjective
• unpranked adjective

Etymology

Origin of prank¹

First recorded in 1520–30; origin uncertain

Origin of prank²

1540–50; akin to Dutch pronken to show off, strut, pronk show, finery, Middle Low German prank pomp

Example Sentences

She was described as a thoughtful, kind teenager who loved pranks and was a natural leader who was in the Army Cadets.

From BBC

How were so many otherwise reasonable people pranked into venturing to an empty Brooklyn Bridge Park in the bleak midwinter as 2025 ebbed to nothing, for nothing?

From Salon

Part of the prank is that, after watching 11 episodes, a viewer is left out on a cliff, hanging.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a video shared by the Met Police, Hart claimed he "made a lot of prank calls" but nothing "threatening".

From BBC

A medical student had hung the limb out the window as a prank.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• antic
• gag
• high jinks
• horseplay
• lark
• spoof
• trick