diablerie

noun

dē-ˈä-blə-(ˌ)rē How to pronounce diablerie (audio)
Definition of diablerienext
1
as in mischief
playful, reckless behavior that is not intended to cause serious harm the boy, who was once filled with diablerie, grew up to be a staid and rather dull man

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sorcery
the power to control natural forces through supernatural means since the common folk had an unshakable belief in a personal devil, a charge of diablerie was taken seriously

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of diablerie Other scholars, however, downplay the book’s diablerie, viewing the Pequod’s captain instead as an admirably heroic overreacher or a latter-day Prometheus facing down the gods, fate, the uncaring universe. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 Groyperism is as much about fandom and diablerie as a set of principles. — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diablerie
  1. mischief
  2. sorcery
  3. playfulness
  4. witchcraft
  5. devilment
  6. magic
  7. rascality
  8. wickedness
Noun
  • The stagehands finally lowered the elevated side of the stage, ended their mischief, and Belafonte began singing.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • McConaughey is glad to tell a story about some mischief on set.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of mischief
Noun
  • His brother-in-law had been accused of sorcery, and his home had been set on fire.
    — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • With ancient Greek tale The Odyssey still slashing its way to peak box office, the sword and sorcery age remains a potent genre for Hollywood.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sorcery
Noun
  • The Kukka chandelier by Sarah Sherman Samuel for Lulu and Georgia adds a touch of playfulness to the living room, which is located in the original 1930s Spanish-style part of the home.
    — Rachel Wallace, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Leaving out the outrageous persona, the eye-grabbing iconography, and the sizzling live shows, his musical restlessness and playfulness generated albums that were and are appointment listening.
    — Michaelangelo Matos, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of playfulness
Noun
  • Eclipses, which used to be thought of as magic or even witchcraft, depending on what suited them at the moment, are now understood to be just a function of the Earth's alignment with the sun and moon.
    — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The roughly 25-acre farm is also home to a reproduction of the Salem Village Meeting House, the site of many early hearings about the Salem witchcraft hysteria.
    — Nicholas DeRenzo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of witchcraft
Noun
  • Mustard and vinegar provide the devilment for a flavorful bite, particularly when topped with a scattering of scallions and paprika.
    — SAVEUR Editors, Saveur, 5 Feb. 2025
  • But even if truffles are beyond your pay grade, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had in the sheer devilment portrayed in this informative and appetizing book.
    — Eugenia Bone, WSJ, 10 July 2019
Definition of devilment
Noun
  • Davidson continued, pointing to his longevity and recapturing the magic he’s built alongside legends and sharing it with a new generation of viewers.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The intimate show set against the grand history of Carnegie Hall has now been immortalized by Anderson and his onetime star turned fellow camera operator Benny Safdie, who captured the night’s magic in 16 and 35mm film.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of magic
Noun
  • Still, the pure rascality in these extravagant self-inventions shouldn’t be overlooked.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of rascality
Noun
  • Miller was bold, having learned of life’s wickedness at an early age.
    — Air Mail, Air Mail, 25 July 2026
  • Max Cady should be an unsettling interruption, a man who undermines our ideas of right and wrong through his nonchalance about his own wickedness; here, the most unsettling thing about him are those teal contact lenses.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of wickedness

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Cite this Entry

“Diablerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diablerie. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on diablerie

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diablerie

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