What does mischief mean?
Mischief describes behaviour that is playfully troublesome, mischievous, or deliberately disruptive. In its everyday sense, it is often used about children whose actions may be annoying but are not seriously harmful, as in the phrase “getting into mischief.” The word can also have a more serious meaning: something is called mischief when it causes damage, creates confusion, or stirs up conflict. This broader sense appears in expressions such as “make mischief” and is common in formal and literary writing. Related forms include the adjective mischievous, meaning playfully or intentionally troublesome, and mischief-maker, a person who causes trouble or encourages discord. Although the word often carries a humorous or affectionate tone in childhood contexts, it can be strongly disapproving when it refers to deliberate interference, malicious gossip, or actions intended to cause trouble.
nounMischief is playful or troublesome behaviour, especially by children, that causes minor disruption or annoyance. It can also refer more generally to harmful activity, troublemaking, or deliberately stirring up difficulties.
- Playful or disruptive behaviour, especially by children.
- Deliberate stirring up of trouble or the creation of difficulties.
- Harmful or damaging activity.
"The children were full of mischief, hiding every pencil in the house before breakfast."
"He was a mischievous child who enjoyed hiding his sister's shoes."
"The rumour caused a great deal of mischief in the office."
"The warning labels are intended to prevent serious mischief in the laboratory."
The plural is rare in ordinary use, but is standard when referring to separate instances of troublesome or harmful activity.
"The novel describes the little mischiefs of a growing child."
Mischief began as a word for misfortune: even its name preserves the old idea of bad luck before it came to mean the trouble a child invents for fun.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mischief come from?
The word entered Middle English from Old French meschief, which originally meant misfortune or bad luck. Its sense gradually developed toward harmful or troublesome conduct, and eventually toward the playful disorder associated with children. The related word mischief-maker is a later English formation, while words such as mischance and malfeasance reflect related traditions of expressing bad fortune, wrongdoing, and harmful action.
Related word forms
How mischief is actually used
The word is usually informal and often affectionate when it describes children's behaviour. In its more formal senses, especially with a singular article, it can refer to serious harm or deliberate interference.
Easily confused with mischief
Mischief often implies playful or minor wrongdoing, whereas trouble can refer to more serious difficulty, distress, or conflict.