Synonyms of misbehave

misbehave

verb

ˌmis-bi-ˈhāv 

as in to disobey

to behave badly

scolded the children for misbehaving and sent them to bed early

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disobey
• misconduct
• rebel
• raise hell
• act out
• run riot
• carry on
• act up
• raise Cain
• cut up
• horse around
• show off
• fool around
• kid (around)
• clown (around)
• roughhouse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obey
• act
• conduct
• comply
• quit
• bear
• conform
• move
• control
• check
• restrain
• contain
• handle
• demean
• collect
• acquit
• inhibit
• deport
• comport
• curb
• compose
• constrain
• repress
• quiet

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of misbehave

The event is an homage to the half-goat, half-demon monster that 12th-century central and eastern Europeans said rode along with Santa to punish misbehaving children. —Karri Peifer, Axios, 5 Dec. 2024

Don’t lower your standards or expectations because others misbehave. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 14 Nov. 2024

There’s little incentive to refrain from misbehaving in an environment that tolerates bad behavior, said Lewis Morris, who was chief counsel to HHS’ Office of Inspector General from 2002 to 2012. —Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 13 Nov. 2024

While the Mark Taper Forum, Pasadena Playhouse and the Geffen Playhouse fretted about the taste of their least adventurous subscribers, Rogue Machine reminded us that theater is most alive when misbehaving. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024