【Playful】 , 【frolicsome】 ,  【sportive】 ,  【roguish】 ,  【waggish】 ,  【impish】 ,  【mischievous】  mean given to play, jests, or tricks or indicative of such a disposition or mood.

【Playful】 stresses either lighthearted gaiety or merriment or a lack of seriousness or earnestness.

【Frolicsome】  heightens the implications of  【playful】 ; it carries a stronger suggestion of friskiness or prankishness or irresponsible merriment.

【Sportive】 carries a stronger implication of jesting or of levity than either of the preceding words; the term sometimes implies merely excess of animal spirits, but it usually connotes a desire to evoke or provoke laughter.

【Roguish】  not only heightens the implications of  【sportive】 , but it suggests an engaging naughtiness or slyness.

【Waggish】  suggests a less engaging sportiveness than  【roguish】 and one less delicate in its character; usually also the term carries a stronger suggestion of jocoseness or of jocularity.

【Impish】  adds to  【roguish】 a hint of elfish, malicious mockery.

【Mischievous】  combines the implications of  【frolicsome】  and  【impish】 . Although it may imply the doing of mischief (see mischief under INJURY 1 ) or the causing of an injury to others it commonly retains some suggestion of mingled playfulness and malice.

Often it suggests little more than thoughtless indifference to the possible effects of one’s sports, tricks, or practical jokes.