mischievous

UK: /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ US: /ˈmɪstʃəvəs/ ,(mis′chə vəs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

mis•chie•vous /ˈmɪstʃəvəs/   adj. 

1. maliciously or playfully annoying:
   The mischievous boys stole apples from the neighbor's tree.
2. slyly teasing:
   a mischievous look.
3. harmful;
   causing trouble.

mis•chie•vous•ly, adv. 
mis•chie•vous•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

mis•chie•vous  (mis′chə vəs), adj. 

1. maliciously or playfully annoying.
2. causing annoyance, harm, or trouble.
3. roguishly or slyly teasing, as a glance.
4. harmful or injurious.

• Anglo-French meschevous. See mischief, -ous
• 1300–50; Middle English mischevous

mis′chie•vous•ly, adv. 
mis′chie•vous•ness, n. 
Pronunciation

Pronunciations of mischievous with stress on the second syllable: (mis chē′vē əs) or, less commonly, (mis chē′vəs), instead of on the first: (mis′chə vəs), are usually considered nonstandard. The pronunciation (mis chē′vē əs), with the additional syllable, occurs by analogy with such words as previous and devious.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mischievous / ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ adjective

1. inclined to acts of mischief
2. teasing; slightly malicious
3. causing or intended to cause harm

ˈmischievously adverb

ˈmischievousness noun