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prankishness

prankishness

8.4
A liking for doing playful, slightly naughty tricks on other people
  • noun
  • /ˈpræŋkɪʃnəs/
translation icon : traviesura
  • His prankishness often led to unexpected surprises during family gatherings.

Examples

  • The child's prankishness made the party lively and full of laughter.

  • Paradoxically, he also speaks in praise of laughter, lightness, joy, dancing, and prankishness.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Her prankishness was evident when she hid fake spiders around the house.

Synonyms

silliness
vsprankishness
29 2.6

Playful or foolish behavior that is not serious and often funny

is targeted at performing mischievous prank acts rather than general lighthearted fun
clowning
vsprankishness
8 3.2

Acting in a silly way to make people laugh

is more private and prank-focused rather than public comic performance
tomfoolery
vsprankishness
  • Informal
7 8.2

Silly, playful behaviour that is not serious

is more about performing actual prank actions than general foolishness
buffoonery
vsprankishness
5 7.9

Clown-like, silly actions meant to make people laugh

focuses on doing tricklike pranks rather than purely visual comedy
goofiness
vsprankishness
  • Informal
2 3.2

A way of acting that is silly, playful, and often makes people laugh

is more purposeful, aiming to create playful pranks rather than mere silliness
mischievousness
vsprankishness
1 4.6

Playful actions that cause small harmless trouble for fun

narrows this to liking to perform specific playful prank acts
mischief-making
vsprankishness
1 6.0

The act of causing trouble or harm to others on purpose

is lighter, focusing on harmless playful pranks rather than harm
devilment
vsprankishness
  • Archaic
1 7.9

Playful mischief that teases or annoys other people

is more playful and less likely to aim at causing real annoyance
impishness
vsprankishness
1 6.7

A playful, slightly naughty act like a small joke or trick

focuses more on doing small practical pranks rather than general joking
rascality
vsprankishness
  • Archaic
1 8.1

Playful or dishonest behavior that tricks people

is less about dishonesty and more about performing playful pranks
roguery
vsprankishness
  • Archaic
1 8.8

Playful but sometimes dishonest behavior that annoys people

leans toward light playful pranks rather than harmful or dishonest acts
puckishness
vsprankishness
8.8

A playful, teasing way of behaving that surprises people

is similar but emphasizes being inclined to perform silly pranks
waggery
vsprankishness
  • Archaic
9.9

Playful acts that tease people in a friendly way

highlights a stronger leaning toward doing physical prank acts
harmless devilment
vsprankishness
7.0

Small playful acts that do no real harm

is similar but stresses a tendency to play specific pranks
roguishness
vsprankishness
7.5

A playful habit of doing mischief or telling small lies that amuses people

is more focused on active prank behavior than charming mischief
clownishness
vsprankishness
4.6

Behaving in a silly, playful way like a clown to make people laugh

is more about planning and doing prank actions rather than just comedy
clownery
vsprankishness
  • Informal
6.1

Silly behavior meant to make people laugh

involves pranks done with intent to tease or trick rather than only amuse
antics
vsprankishness
3.1

Funny or silly actions that try to make people laugh

often involves specific pranks rather than broad exaggerated comic acts
over-the-top antics
vsprankishness
  • Informal
7.2

Loud exaggerated actions meant to get attention or make people laugh

is usually quieter and focused on short mischievous pranks rather than spectacle
loony antics
vsprankishness
  • Informal
8.4

Silly, wild actions people do to get attention

is more about discrete playful pranks than loud, chaotic acts

Antonyms

53 2.7

A calm and honest way of speaking or acting that shows you mean what you say

How Mischievous

naughtiness
2 3.2
prankishness
8.4
impishness
1 6.7
playfulness
8 2.5

Surface Forms

prankishness singular

Morphology

prankishness = prankish (transparent) = prank + ish + ness

Built from 'prank' -> 'prankish' (inclined to play pranks) with '-ness' forming the noun for the state; the derivation follows regular, expected patterns.

Etymology

Prankishness comes from the simple word prank, meaning a 'playful trick', plus the endings -ish meaning 'like' and -ness meaning 'state of'. So prankishness is the 'state of' being 'like' a prank — someone who often plays playful, mischievous tricks.