roguish

[ roh-gish ]

/ ˈroʊ gɪʃ /

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See synonyms for: roguish / roguishly / roguishness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

playfully mischievous: a roguish smile.

pertaining to, characteristic of, or acting like a rogue; knavish or unscrupulous.

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Origin of roguish

First recorded in 1565–75; rogue + -ish¹

OTHER WORDS FROM roguish

ro·guish·ly, adverbro·guish·ness, noun

Words nearby roguish

rogue's march, rogue state, rogue's yarn, rogue trader, rogue wave, roguish, roguishly, Rohingya, Röhm, Rohnert Park, Rohrer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use roguish in a sentence

Many people loathe Musk, who has cultivated a public persona of roguish obnoxiousness.
What Elon Musk Really Believes|Molly Ball|April 26, 2022|Time
I already “know” he’s a roguish fun gambler who loves to toss the dice, but you’re absolutely right in that none of that has really been shown.
The Wheel of Time show totally changes who the story’s main character is|Andrew Cunningham|December 10, 2021|Ars Technica
Above all, he is a Bad Boy—brooding, mercurial, wounded, roguish, prone to shattering the hearts of even the toughest, most self-assured women.
Netflix’s Steamy New Drama Sex/Life Is So Bad, It’s Funny|Judy Berman|June 25, 2021|Time
The overall effect was that hirstute Harry looked more dashing and roguish than ever.
Hairy Harry Keeps His Magnificent Polar Beard For Christmas as Prince George Is A No-Show||December 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST

For Andrew was once Harry, the roguish younger brother who could do no wrong, but it's a very different story today.
Prince Andrew's Lonely Globetrotting Life|Tom Sykes|September 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Even more emphatically, Urquhart—with a roguish smile—turns her picture facedown on his desk.
Rewind: BBC’s Iconic Political Thriller ‘House of Cards’ Still Captivates|Jace Lacob|January 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Successfully navigating a personal and professional relationship with the roguish Bond has prepared her for anything.
10 Fictional Replacements for CIA Chief David Petraeus|Ben Teitelbaum, Laura Colarusso|November 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
With a roguish smile, Palin responded, “That sounds like Steve Schmidt!”
Sarah Drops the Act|Tina Brown|November 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He drew himself up, twisted his moustache, and met her eyes—they were rather sad and tired—with the roguish mockery of his own.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He held the pin delicately between finger and thumb, and controlled her with his roguish eyes.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
She was a laughing, curly-haired girl with dancing black eyes and an altogether roguish look.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
Among other discourse encouraging him to pursue his love to Mrs. Lane, while God knows I had a roguish meaning in it.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
Bagg, however, saw at once that he had a roguish air, and he was on his guard in a moment.
Lavengro|George Borrow

British Dictionary definitions for roguish

roguish

/ (ˈrəʊɡɪʃ) /

adjective

dishonest or unprincipled

mischievous or arch

Derived forms of roguish

roguishly, adverbroguishness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

roguish

Origin of roguish

OTHER WORDS FROM roguish

Words nearby roguish

Words related to roguish

How to use roguish in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for roguish

Derived forms of roguish