Standard Lemma guide

mischievousness

noun · 4 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.

  • /ˈmɪst͡ʃɪvəsnəs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The characteristic of being mischievous; the tendency to make mischief.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

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, mischief-making, 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

3

noun

Meaning 3

the trait of behaving like an imp

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: impishness, puckishness, whimsicality

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: playfulness, fun

4

noun

Meaning 4

an attribute of mischievous children

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: naughtiness, badness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disobedience

Narrower terms: prankishness, rascality, roguishness

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English mischievous Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English mischievousness From mischievous + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: pahankurisuus — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Finnish: vallattomuus — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Irish: diabhlaíocht — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Polish: psotność — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Polish: figlarność — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Polish: szelmowskość — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Portuguese: safadeza — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Portuguese: sacanagem — characteristic of being mischievous
  • Tamil: லொள்ளு (loḷḷu) — characteristic of being mischievous