mischief

/ˈmɪs.tʃiːf/

//ˈmɪs.tʃiːf// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"mischief" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mischief” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,136 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#18,136
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance.

Key facts for mischief
PropertyValue
Headwordmischief
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmɪs.tʃiːf/
Letters8
Frequency rank#18,136
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mischief” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). mischief lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for mischief is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmɪs.tʃiːf/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,136 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for mischief, with forms such as "imschief", "micshief", and "miscchief". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English myschef, meschef, meschief, mischef, from Old French meschief, from meschever (“to bring to grief”), from mes- (“badly”) + chever (“happen; come to a head”), from Vulgar Latin *capare, from Latin caput (“head”). The correct English form is mischief, spelled M-I-S-C-H-I-E-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    Conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance.
  2. 2
    A playfully annoying action.
  3. 3
    A group or a pack of rats.
  4. 4
    Harm or injury:
  5. 5
    Harm or injury:
  6. 6
    A criminal offence defined in various ways in various jurisdictions, sometimes including causing damage to another's property.
  7. 7
    A cause or agent of annoyance, harm or injury, especially a person who causes mischief.
  8. 8
    The Devil; used as an expletive.
  9. 9
    Casual and/or flirtatious sexual acts.

Etymology

From Middle English myschef, meschef, meschief, mischef, from Old French meschief, from meschever (“to bring to grief”), from mes- (“badly”) + chever (“happen; come to a head”), from Vulgar Latin *capare, from Latin caput (“head”).

Synonyms

agitationannoyancecorruptiondamagedemolitiondestructiondetrimentdisablementdisruptionevilharmhurtillimpairmentincapacitationinjurynuisancepiqueravagesabotagescathetroubleundoingunmakingvexationweakeningwrongbadnessdelinquincydevilishnessdevilmentdevilrydeviltryelfishnessgoings-onhanky-pankyimpishnessimproprietyknaverymisbehaviormischiefmischievousnessmisconductmisdemeanormonkey businessnaughtinessprankishnesspranksomenesspuckishnessrascalityrogueryroguishnessscampishness

Antonyms

decorumgentlemanlinessgentilityseemlinesssportsmanshipprobitypropriety

This word in other languages

travesura(Español)espièglerie(Français)Unfug(Deutsch)travessura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: imschief,micshief,miscchief,mischeif,mischhief,mischieff,mischife,miscihef,mishcief,misschief,mmischief,msichief

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mischief - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

imschief2micshief2miscchief1mischeif2mischhief1mischieff1mischife2miscihef2
Edit distance from "mischief"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mischief"?
"mischief" is spelled M-I-S-C-H-I-E-F. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɪs.tʃiːf/.
What does "mischief" mean?
As a noun, "mischief" means: Conduct that playfully causes petty annoyance.
What are common misspellings of "mischief"?
Common misspellings include "imschief", "micshief", "miscchief", "mischeif", "mischhief". The correct spelling is "mischief".
How do you pronounce "mischief"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mischief" is /ˈmɪs.tʃiːf/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "mischief"?
From Middle English myschef, meschef, meschief, mischef, from Old French meschief, from meschever (“to bring to grief”), from mes- (“badly”) + chever (“happen; come to a head”), from Vulgar Latin *capare, from Latin caput (“head”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “mischief”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-I-S-C-H-I-E-F - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmɪs.tʃiːf/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list