misbehavior

noun

mis·​be·​hav·​ior ˌmis-bi-ˈhā-vyər How to pronounce misbehavior (audio)
-bē-
plural misbehaviors
1
: bad, improper, or rude behavior : ill conduct
scolded the children for their misbehavior
2
US military law : any conduct by a member of the armed forces before or in the presence of the enemy that does not conform to military standards or practice for such a situation
… is charged with desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, the latter of which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.The Boston Herald

Examples of misbehavior in a Sentence

would not tolerate any misbehavior from her students
Recent Examples on the Web
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Its original formula peeks in at the misbehavior of mostly white American characters set loose on vacation spots that allow for the display of modern-day colonialism — first Hawaii, then Italy, and now Thailand. Armond White, National Review, 9 Apr. 2025 The most alarming misbehavior was brazen dishonesty. Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025 The claims, which come from over 10 women who have worked with the actor in various capacities in the past, date back to the early 2000s and allege a pattern of abuse and misbehavior. USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025 There are many more-serious misbehaviors for us to be concerned about happening now. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for misbehavior

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misbehavior was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Misbehavior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misbehavior. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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