devilry
Malicious playful troublemaking
Devilry is mischievous or wicked behavior—the kind of trouble associated with devils.
It ranges from playful pranks to genuine malice: The children were up to some devilry in the backyard.
The word can also mean black magic or dealings with evil spirits.
Also spelled deviltry.
Evil supernatural practice
- witchcraftPractice of supernatural magic
- demonologyStudy of evil spirits
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- occultConcealed from view
dark arts · conjuration · hex · curse · incantation · enchantment · possession · exorcism
Moral corruption or evil
- villainyCriminal or evil behavior
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- malevolenceActive ill will
- spitePetty malicious intent
evil · malice · viciousness · sadism · maleficence · iniquity · fiendishness · brutality
Playful trick on someone
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
- impishnessPlayful mischievous quality
- rogueryDishonest or mischievous conduct
naughtiness · antics · tomfoolery · japes · high jinks · monkeyshines · buffoonery · knavery
Violent disorder and destruction
- havocWidespread destruction and chaos
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- bedlamState of wild disorder
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
hell-raising · anarchy · disruption · disorder · uproar · rampage · tumult · frenzy
Crafty and calculating
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- slynessCunning in manner
- wilinessShrewd deceptive cleverness
deceit · duplicity · trickery · manipulation · conniving · deviousness · artfulness · chicanery
black magic
Evil supernatural practice
- witchcraftPractice of supernatural magic
- demonologyStudy of evil spirits
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
occult · dark arts · conjuration · hex · curse · incantation · enchantment · possession · exorcism · voodoo
wickedness
Moral corruption or evil
- villainyCriminal or evil behavior
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- malevolenceActive ill will
spite · evil · malice · viciousness · sadism · maleficence · iniquity · fiendishness · brutality · treachery
prank
Playful trick on someone
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
- impishnessPlayful mischievous quality
roguery · naughtiness · antics · tomfoolery · japes · high jinks · monkeyshines · buffoonery · knavery · rascality
mayhem
Violent disorder and destruction
- havocWidespread destruction and chaos
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- bedlamState of wild disorder
turmoil · hell-raising · anarchy · disruption · disorder · uproar · rampage · tumult · frenzy · riot
scheming
Crafty and calculating
- craftinessShrewd, devious cleverness
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
- slynessCunning in manner
wiliness · deceit · duplicity · trickery · manipulation · conniving · deviousness · artfulness · chicanery · skulduggery
- misbehaviormisbehave, misbehavior, mischief, misconduct, naughty
- mischiefmischief, hijinks, antics, pranks, antic
- wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
- tomfoolerysilliness, foolery, clownery, clownishness, goofing off
- witticismsquips, witticisms, witticism, bon mots, bon mot
- dark magicblack magic, dark magic, sorcery, witchcraft, dark arts
devilrybenevolence
Disposition toward doing good
goodness · virtue · saintliness · righteousness · holiness
devilryseriousness
Earnest, weighty demeanor
solemnity · gravity · gravitas · solemnness · earnestness
devilryscience
Systematic study through observation
divine power · rationality · white magic · empiricism · natural law
- the devilSupreme evil spirit
- dancing with the devilEngaging with dangerous forces
- give the devil his dueAdmit an adversary's merit
- little devilEndearing term for troublemaker
- devil to paySerious trouble ahead
- deal with the devilUnholy exchange for advantage
devil, devilish, devils, bedevil, deviled, deviling, deviltry, bedeviled, devilment