as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
a new approach for disciplining a chronically misbehaving child
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disobeying
to behave badly
scolded the children for misbehaving and sent them to bed early
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of misbehaving
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Why must members of the public be disrespected by unruly, misbehaving, noisy children, who are then defended by adults who should know better?
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misbehaving
Adjective
-
But theatergoers around me couldn’t seem to get enough, no matter how repetitive the naughty humor became.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
His tics are not naughty mischief, but an uncontrollable action.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump had to relent on a scheme to prosecute Fed Chair Jerome Powell for disobeying White House commands to cut interest rates.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Your brother had similar pressure put on him by the national team after disobeying instructions and speaking out.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Choi produced a mischievous grin.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
This is a high-spirited opening for curious neighbors and travelers alike, with a mischievous sense of fun that firmly roots guests in their destination.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Embracing a visual vocabulary of the lowbrow and the rudimentary is a tried-and-true method of rebelling against a culture that feels vapid or corporatized.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
6 May 2026
-
Two decades after Steve Jobs premiered the iPhone, a small but passionate movement — with offshoots in several countries — is rebelling against the omnipresent screen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Or worse, to turn it into a sort of prison sentence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Still, from his horns and tattoos to the double-bladed lightsaber, Maul's bad-guy chic was hard to beat.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Misbehaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misbehaving. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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