roguish
Americanadjective
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playfully mischievous.
a roguish smile.
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pertaining to, characteristic of, or acting like a rogue; knavish or unscrupulous.
adjective
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dishonest or unprincipled
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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.
The crime-fighting combo of a roguish guy and a no-nonsense gal is familiar from “Moonlighting” and “Castle.”
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025
Earlier, on the way into her village, we drove past a jodhpur-clad gent on a horse, who gave us a roguish, charming smile.
From BBC • Sep. 30, 2024
On the small screen, he was the roguish Titus Pullo in “Rome,” a role that really got his career going in the United States and got him a SAG card, at the age of 44.
From Washington Times • May 22, 2023
The Oscars ceremony included a performance of the song, with its rapid-kick choreography and roguish suspender snapping.
From New York Times • Mar. 12, 2023
She smiled, a perfect, roguish, Lucy Ricardo smile.
From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman
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.
