Word
mischievous
Phoneticsmis·chievous
US/ˈmɪstʃəvəs/
UK/mˈɪstʃɪvəs/
Definitions
01playfully naughty
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. enjoying causing trouble in a playful way that is not meant to be mean or harmful.
adj. showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful, often harmless way; characterized by impish or cheeky behaviour.
Español:travieso
“The mischievous puppy hid my shoes under the sofa while I was sleeping.”
“The child gave his mother a mischievous grin before darting away to hide the television remote.”
Pitfall
He had a mis-chee-vee-us smile.
He had a mis-chiv-ous smile.
A common error is adding an extra 'i' sound; the word has three syllables, not four.
Antonyms
02causing harm or trouble
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. intended to cause trouble, damage, or problems for someone.
adj. intended to cause harm, injury, or annoyance. Often used in formal or legal contexts regarding false statements or actions.
“The newspaper was accused of spreading mischievous lies about the politician.”
“The court determined that the defendant had acted with mischievous intent when he filed the false report to disrupt the proceedings.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Legend has it that mischievous elves and fairies used to entice walkers who dared enter it with their songs and then turn them into birds or lizards.” “In Welsh folklore, a bwbach is a benevolent, although sometimes mischievous, spirit resembling a goblin.” Etymology
From Middle English myschevous, mischevous, from Anglo-Norman meschevous, from Old French meschever, from mes- (“mis-”) + chever (“come to an end”) (from chef (“head”)). By surface analysis, mischief + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/mischievous
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0