Skip to main content
rascality

rascality

1 8.1
Playful or dishonest behavior that tricks people
  • noun
  • /ræˈskælɪti/
  • Archaic
translation icon : pícaro

Examples

  • If the boy's heart's set on a career of rascality, there's no man in England can set him a better example!

  • He who was a rascal in his youth will continue to wear some slight hint, a tiny badge of rascality throughout his life, and the same is true of teacher’s pets and cowards.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The boy's rascality often got him into trouble, but his playful charm made it hard to stay mad at him.

  • The mischievous rascality of the kitten was evident as it chased its tail around the living room.

  • She couldn't help but smile at his rascality when he pulled the prank on his unsuspecting friends.

Synonyms

mischief
vsrascality
34 2.7

Naughty actions often done by children that annoy people or cause small harm

leans more toward playful or dishonest character rather than single acts
monkey business
vsrascality
  • Informal
5 4.6

Playful mischief that can include small dishonest acts to trick or amuse people

is broader, including both playful deceit and plain dishonest behaviour
naughtiness
vsrascality
2 3.2

Behaviour that breaks rules and teases others, often by children

can include similar childish acts but also cunning or dishonest conduct
hell-raising
vsrascality
  • Informal
2 8.4

Noisy, wild actions that cause trouble or excitement

includes similar rowdiness but also covers sly or dishonest antics
devilry
vsrascality
1 8.8

Behaviour that harms people or tricks them, sometimes as a prank

is similar but more often used for lighter, playful or cheeky conduct
mischievousness
vsrascality
1 4.6

Playful actions that cause small harmless trouble for fun

adds a stronger hint of dishonesty or sharper mischief alongside playfulness
mischief-making
vsrascality
1 6.0

The act of causing trouble or harm to others on purpose

is similar but more about a general playful or dishonest character trait
devilment
vsrascality
  • Archaic
1 7.9

Playful mischief that teases or annoys other people

can include that nastier intent but also milder, playful wrongdoing
deviltry
vsrascality
  • Archaic
1 9.7

Bad behavior meant to annoy or hurt people

can be that harmful but also includes more playful, harmless misbehaviour
roguery
vsrascality
  • Archaic
1 8.8

Playful but sometimes dishonest behavior that annoys people

includes such recklessness but also lighter playful conduct as well
rascaldom
vsrascality
  • Archaic
9.5

The act of behaving in a naughty, playful way

includes that playful mischief but also adds some dishonest actions
roguishness
vsrascality
7.5

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

covers similar charm but can be more plainly dishonest or cheeky
puckishness
vsrascality
8.8

A playful, teasing way of behaving that surprises people

includes those playful tricks but can also be more dishonest or rude
prankishness
vsrascality
8.4

A liking for doing playful, slightly naughty tricks on other people

covers that joking behaviour but also extends to sly or dishonest acts
trickiness
vsrascality
6.7

Being clever in a dishonest or deceptive way that is hard to guess

is more about playful mischief rather than calculated deceit or trickery
shiftiness
vsrascality
8.1

A person's secretive way of acting that makes others not trust them

is less about secretive deceit and more about open playful or cheeky conduct

Antonyms

365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

132 4.4

Being whole and not broken, for example in a building or file

How Mischievous

rascality
  • Archaic
1 8.1
mischief
34 2.7
playfulness
8 2.5

Surface Forms

rascality singular
rascalities plural

Morphology

rascality = rascal (transparent) = rascal + ity

Formed by adding the productive suffix '-ity' to 'rascal' to denote the quality or state of being a rascal, which is directly derivable.

Etymology

Rascality comes from the simple word rascal plus the ending -ity, which means 'state' or 'quality'. A rascal was a naughty or rude person, so rascality is the 'state' of being naughty, playful, or dishonest.