naughty

adjective

naugh·​ty ˈnȯ-tē  ˈnä- 

naughtier; naughtiest

1

a

: guilty of disobedience or misbehavior

a naughty child

b

archaic : vicious in moral character : wicked

2

: lacking in taste or propriety

No naughty jokes in front of the children, please!

naughtily

ˈnȯ-tə-lē 

ˈnä-

adverb

naughtiness

ˈnȯ-tē-nəs 

ˈnä-

noun

Synonyms

• bad
• contrary
• errant
• froward
• misbehaving
• mischievous

Examples of naughty in a Sentence

She gave him a naughty smile.

told her to act her age and stop throwing temper tantrums like a naughty little girl

Recent Examples on the Web

Perfect for those naughty and nice, vacation destinations throughout the world are offering guests a holiday extravaganza designed to entertain and amaze. —Roger Sands, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

My sense is that people infatuated with this tinpot Marxist analysis enjoy the rush of feeling like the naughty provocateur without paying any real price for transgression. —Lily Burana, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024

Stephen may have a flip-book of naughty photos, but his real weapon is his will to destroy. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024

And be sure to attend the Saint Nicholas Parade and Krampus Run in Igls — those on the nice list get a small gift, while those who have been naughty can expect a little fright. —Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English noughti, from nought

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

naughty

adjective

naugh·​ty ˈnȯt-ē 

ˈnät-

naughtier; naughtiest

: behaving badly or improperly

naughtily

ˈnȯt-ᵊl-ē 

ˈnät-

adverb

naughtiness

ˈnȯt-ē-nəs 

ˈnät-

noun