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Definition of prank

prank

/præŋk/
prank
Adverb:prankishly
•
Plural:pranks
•
Adjective:prankish
•
Past Simple:pranked
•
Past Participle:pranked
•
Present Participle:pranking
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prank Lexical Profile

prank Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A mischievous trick or practical joke played on someone, typically intended to cause amusement or mild embarrassment rather than harm.

Example

"The seniors pulled a harmless prank by filling the principal's office with colorful balloons."

Synonyms
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• verb

1

To play a mischievous trick or practical joke on someone.

Example

"My brother pranked me on April Fools' Day by replacing the sugar in the bowl with salt."

2

To dress or adorn in a showy, ostentatious, or fanciful manner (archaic or literary).

Example

"In spring, the meadows are pranked out with wildflowers of every hue."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for prank
Antonyms
View all antonyms for prank

• Rhymes for prank

• Nearby Words

prancer
prancingly
pranhita
prank
prankish
prankishly
prankster

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the early 16th century, likely from Middle Dutch 'pronk' meaning 'ostentation' or 'show', which evolved in English to describe both showy dress and a mischievous trick.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Prank. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/prank
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