waggishness
Lighthearted teasing spirit
Waggishness is playful, mischievous humor—the quality of being a wag, someone who makes jokes and teases in good spirits.
The word suggests lighthearted pranks and witty remarks rather than cutting sarcasm: His waggishness kept the dinner party lively.
It's a slightly old-fashioned term, more at home in Victorian novels than modern speech.
Playful trick on someone
- impishnessPlayful mischievous quality
- rogueryDishonest or mischievous conduct
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
- tomfooleryFoolish or silly behavior
trickery · capers · escapade · naughtiness · devilry · hoax · slyness · hijinks
Playful, unserious speech
- drolleryWhimsical, understated humor
- comedyWork meant to amuse
- jokeHumorous statement seeking laughter
- satireMockery exposing vice
parody · irony · sarcasm · lampoon · spoof · caricature · buffoonery · farcical
Exuberant, often impish delight
- jollityCheerful liveliness
- mirthAmusement with laughter
- cheerfulnessState of bright spirits
- lightheartednessCheerful lack of worry
festivity · conviviality · buoyancy · exuberance · ebullience · vivacity · jauntiness · blitheness
Playful, teasing exchange
- reparteeQuick, clever conversation
- quipBrief, clever remark
- wisecrackFlippant clever remark
- wordplayVerbal wit techniques
cleverness · puns · epigram · innuendo · facetiousness · raillery · riposte · badinage
prank
Playful trick on someone
- impishnessPlayful mischievous quality
- rogueryDishonest or mischievous conduct
- shenanigansMischievous or deceitful behavior
tomfoolery · trickery · capers · escapade · naughtiness · devilry · hoax · slyness · hijinks · monkeyshines
jesting
Playful, unserious speech
- drolleryWhimsical, understated humor
- comedyWork meant to amuse
- jokeHumorous statement seeking laughter
satire · parody · irony · sarcasm · lampoon · spoof · caricature · buffoonery · farcical · slapstick
glee
Exuberant, often impish delight
- jollityCheerful liveliness
- mirthAmusement with laughter
- cheerfulnessState of bright spirits
lightheartedness · festivity · conviviality · buoyancy · exuberance · ebullience · vivacity · jauntiness · blitheness · sparkle
banter
Playful, teasing exchange
wordplay · cleverness · puns · epigram · innuendo · facetiousness · raillery · riposte · badinage · retort
frolicsome
Inclined to merriment
- whimsicalPlayfully fanciful or erratic
- jocularInclined to jest
- lightheartedCheerful and without worry
sportive · prankish · impish · rollicking · frisky · elfin · capering · blithe · gamboling · fanciful
waggishnessseriousness
Earnest, weighty demeanor
solemnity · gravity · earnestness · soberness · gravitas
waggishnessgloominess
Somber, dispirited state
melancholy · moroseness · cheerlessness · joylessness · glumness