Standard Lemma guide

mischief

noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmɪsˌt͡ʃiːf/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ˈmɪsˌt͡ʃhɪi̯f]
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmɪs.t͡ʃɪf/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ˈmɪs.t͡ʃhɪf]
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈmɪs.t͡ʃɪf/
  • Canada, General-American: [ˈmɪs.t͡ʃhɪf]
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • New-Jersey: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪstʃɪf
  • rhymes with -ɪstʃiːf
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH1 S CH AH0 F Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Drink led to mischief.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: delinquency, naughtiness, roguery, scampishness, atrociousness, awfulness, badness, corruption, corruptness, criminality, dacoity, depravity, enormity, evil, evilness, immorality, knavery, nefariousness, rascality, savagery, scoundrelry, scumminess, turpitude, vileness, villainhood, villainousness, villainry, villainy, wickedness

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A playfully annoying action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • John's mischief, tying his shoelaces together, irked George at first.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A group or a pack of rats.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: collective, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Harm or injury:

Harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, uncountable

Examples

  • She had mischief in her heart.
  • Sooner or later he'll succeed in doing some serious mischief.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Harm or injury:

An injury or an instance of harm or trouble caused by a person or other agent or cause.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, countable

Examples

  • It may end in her doing a great mischief to herself—and perhaps to others too.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A criminal offence defined in various ways in various jurisdictions, sometimes including causing damage to another's property.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A cause or agent of annoyance, harm or injury, especially a person who causes mischief.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bad boy, knave, rapscallion, rascal, rogue, antimodel, bad guy, baddie, bastard, beggar, blackguard, bounder, cad, cockatrice, coistril, evildoer, fustilarian, harlot, heavy, lidderon, makeshift, miscreant, ne'er-do-well, niding, nithing, scab, scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, scum, scumbag, thug, undesirable, varlet, villain, agitator, bad news, bear, bhoy, booger, boot boy, bovver boy, brat, brawler, breedbate, buffoon, bugger, bully, charva, cutup, devil, elf, enfant terrible, firebrand, gadfly, hell-raiser, hood, hoodlum, hool, hoolie, hooligan, hothead, imp, inciter, initiator, instigator, jackanapes, joker, jokester, kindle-coal, kindle-fire, lout, makebate, minx, mischief, mischief-maker, pixie, pot stirrer, practical joker, prankster, puck, punk, rabble rouser, rakeshame, rantipole, roly-poly, rowdy, ruffian, shit disturber, shitmonger, shit-stirrer, tearaway, titivil, tough, troublemaker, vandal, wag, wagpastie, wrangler, yob, yobbo

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

The Devil; used as an expletive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, euphemistic, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

Casual and/or flirtatious sexual acts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To do a mischief to; to harm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To slander.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mischief-making, mischievousness, deviltry, devilry, devilment, rascality, roguery, roguishness, shenanigan

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: misbehavior, misbehaviour, misdeed

Narrower terms: hell, blaze, monkey business, vandalism, hooliganism, malicious mischief

13

noun

Meaning 13

the quality or nature of being harmful or evil

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: maleficence, balefulness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: evil, evilness

History

Etymology

From Middle English myschef, meschef, meschief, mischef, from Old French meschief, from meschever (“to bring to grief”), from mes- (“badly”) + chever (“happen; come to a head”), from Vulgar Latin *capare, from Latin caput (“head”).

From Middle English myschefen, myscheven, from Old French meschever.

Across languages

Translations

148 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: kattekwaad — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Bulgarian: пакост (pakost) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Catalan: entremaliadura — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Cherokee: ᏄᏁᎸᎾ (nunelvna) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惡作劇 /恶作剧 (èzuòjù) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Czech: darebáctví — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Czech: neplecha — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Czech: nezbednost — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Czech: rošťárna — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Dutch: kattenkwaad — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Finnish: ilkamointi — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Finnish: kujeilu — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Finnish: ilkivalta — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Finnish: jäynä — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Finnish: pahanteko — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Finnish: kiusanteko — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • French: espièglerie — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • French: bêtise — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • German: Unfug — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • German: Unheil — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • German: Querulantentum — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Greek: αταξία (ataxía) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Hebrew: תַּעֲלוּל (ta'alúl) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Hindi: शरारत (śarārat) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Ingrian: pilla — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Irish: diabhlaíocht — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Irish: rógaireacht — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Italian: vessatorio — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Italian: indisponente — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Japanese: 悪戯 (itazura) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Macedonian: па́кост (pákost) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Māori: raweke — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Navajo: ádílááh — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ablegøye — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Portuguese: travessura — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Punjabi: ਇਲਤ (ilat) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Russian: озорство́ (ozorstvó) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Russian: ша́лость (šálostʹ) — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Spanish: travesura — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Spanish: diablura — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Spanish: gamberrada — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Vietnamese: trò tinh nghịch — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Vietnamese: trò tinh quái — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Vietnamese: trò láu cá — conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance
  • Bulgarian: беля (belja) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Catalan: entremaliadura — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Catalan: malifeta — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Czech: darebáctví — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Czech: neplecha — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Czech: rošťárna — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Czech: škoda — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Czech: spoušť — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Dutch: onheil — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Finnish: harmi — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Finnish: kiusa — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Finnish: tihutyö — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • French: espièglerie — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • French: polissonnerie — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Galician: trasnada — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Galician: falcatrúa — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Galician: falcatruada — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • German: Unheil — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • German: Unfug — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • German: Aufruhr — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Greek: αταξία (ataxía) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Greek: διαβολιά (diavoliá) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Hungarian: baj — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Irish: dochar — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Irish: díobháil — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Irish: trioblóid — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Italian: danno — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Italian: malanno — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Italian: birboneria — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Italian: bravata — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Macedonian: бе́ља (bélja) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Macedonian: па́кост (pákost) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Māori: hīanga — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Māori: porohīanga — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ugagn — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Norwegian Bokmål: revestrek — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fantestrek — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Polish: niegodziwość — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Polish: szkoda — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Portuguese: dano — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Portuguese: travessura — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Russian: вред (vred) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Russian: зло (zlo) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Sanskrit: एनस् (enas) — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Scottish Gaelic: trioblaid — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Slovak: zlota — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Slovak: potvorstvo — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Spanish: travesura — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Spanish: diablura — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Spanish: daño — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Spanish: maldad — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Spanish: picardía — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Swedish: hyss — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Swedish: ofog — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Swedish: bus — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Turkish: muzırlık — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Welsh: direidi — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Welsh: drygioni — harm or trouble caused by an agent or brought about by a particular cause
  • Catalan: entremaliat — one who causes mischief
  • Chinese Mandarin: 促狹鬼 /促狭鬼 (cùxiáguǐ) — one who causes mischief
  • Czech: darebák — one who causes mischief
  • Czech: rošťák — one who causes mischief
  • Czech: vandal — one who causes mischief
  • Dutch: plaaggeest — one who causes mischief
  • Finnish: riiviö — one who causes mischief
  • Finnish: ilkimys — one who causes mischief
  • French: espiègle — one who causes mischief
  • German: Störenfried — one who causes mischief
  • German: Unruhestifter — one who causes mischief
  • German: Rowdy — one who causes mischief
  • German: Schläger — one who causes mischief
  • German: Aufrührer — one who causes mischief
  • German: Anstifter — one who causes mischief
  • Greek: άτακτος (átaktos) — one who causes mischief
  • Greek: σκανδαλιάρης (skandaliáris) — one who causes mischief
  • Hebrew: קֻנְדָּס (kundás) — one who causes mischief
  • Hungarian: bajkeverő — one who causes mischief
  • Irish: diabhal — one who causes mischief
  • Irish: áibhirseoir — one who causes mischief
  • Irish: toirmeascaí — one who causes mischief
  • Irish: clampróir — one who causes mischief
  • Italian: malandrino — one who causes mischief
  • Italian: birbone — one who causes mischief
  • Japanese: 悪戯っ子 (itazurakko) — one who causes mischief
  • Macedonian: па́косник (pákosnik) — one who causes mischief
  • Macedonian: беља́џија (beljádžija) — one who causes mischief
  • Macedonian: беља́џика (beljádžika) — one who causes mischief
  • Portuguese: travesso — one who causes mischief
  • Russian: озорни́к (ozorník) — one who causes mischief
  • Russian: шалу́н (šalún) — one who causes mischief
  • Russian: прока́зник (prokáznik) — one who causes mischief
  • Slovak: potvora — one who causes mischief
  • Slovak: darebák — one who causes mischief
  • Slovak: nezbedník — one who causes mischief
  • Spanish: revoltoso — one who causes mischief
  • Spanish: travieso — one who causes mischief
  • Swedish: odåga — one who causes mischief
  • Swedish: buse — one who causes mischief
  • Swedish: bråkstake — one who causes mischief
  • Swedish: bråkmakare — one who causes mischief
  • Turkish: muzır — one who causes mischief
  • Chinese Mandarin: 罪行 (zuìxíng) — (law) a criminal offence
  • French: méfait — (law) a criminal offence
  • Māori: porohīanga — to do mischief, to get up to mischief
Real reading context

mischief in complete knowledge articles

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