Devilment

/ˈdɛv(ɪ)lm(ə)nt/

Synonyms for "devilment" (91 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: mischief, rascality, aggravation, annoyance, bad news.
  • Sentence evidence is available for devilment, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "devilment".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "devilment"

Keep "devilment" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "devilment" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "devilment", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "devilment" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

4 relation types

More general

10 entries

More specific

8 entries

Collocations

5 entries
act of devilmentacts of devilmentchildish devilmentdevilment and mischiefdevilment in youth

Inflections

1 entries

Sample sentences

4 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

He lived so long, and in his worldly matters prospered so much, there was so little sign of devilment in the accomplishment of his wishes, and the increase of his prosperity, that Simon, at the end of six years, began to doubt whether he had made any such bargain at all, as that which we have described at the commencement of this history.

Source: wiktionary

It was just so with my Joe—always full of his devilment, and up to every kind of mischief, but he was just as unselfish and kind as he could be—and laws bless me, to think I went and whipped him for taking that cream, never once recollecting that I throwed it out myself because it was sour, and I never to see him again in this world, never, never, never, poor abused boy!

Source: wiktionary

The stupid fellow hurriedly kissed the portrait, whipped out his knife, quick as lightning removed the miniatures, and substituted two photographs. Closing the case he deposited it carefully on a shelf containing a lot of girls' books and nicknacks. In a moment he was out of the room. Now what did all that mean? Some devilment, I'll be bound, for there was a wicked expression on the scoundrel's face all the while.

Source: wiktionary

Ah, why the divil, Puddock, do you keep them ould women's charrums and divilments, about you—you'll be the death of some one yet, so you will.

Source: wiktionary

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "devilment"?

Closest matches include mischief, rascality, aggravation, annoyance, bad news.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "devilment"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "devilment"