misbehave

[ mis-bi-heyv ]

See synonyms for: misbehave misbehaved misbehaving on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),mis·be·haved, mis·be·hav·ing.

to behave badly or improperly: The children misbehaved during our visit.

verb (used with object),mis·be·haved, mis·be·hav·ing.

to conduct (oneself) without regard for good manners or accepted moral standards: Several of the guests misbehaved themselves.

Origin of misbehave

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at mis-¹, behave

Other words from misbehave

mis·be·hav·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use misbehave in a sentence

To that end, lunar users would be well advised to build shared installations, such as landing and supply facilities, to function as carrots that can be withheld from misbehaving actors.
Lunar Gold Rush Could Create Conflict on the Ground if We Don’t Act Now—New Research | Tony Milligan | December 10, 2020 | Singularity Hub
There was a period in the Obama administration when China would misbehave, they’d break a rule, they’d be too aggressive in an action.
Will Covid-19 Spark a Cold War (or Worse) With China? (Ep. 414) | Stephen J. Dubner | April 23, 2020 | Freakonomics
In the SMU study it was found that children lasted about 10 minutes after a smack before they started misbehaving again.
The Adrian Peterson Beating and the Christian Right's Love of Corporal Punishment | Amanda Marcotte | September 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The BBC judged the Opening Ceremony to be a success, apart from the “slightly misbehaving snowflake.”
Sorry Putin, the Sochi Opening Ceremony Was Totally Gay | Tim Teeman | February 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I hope you had as much fun as I did - who knew Harry behaving could be as much fun as Harry misbehaving?
Prince Harry's U.S. Tour: Rolling Updates and all the News and Pictures as It Happens | Tom Sykes | May 15, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST

Those tabloid images of Stewart misbehaving were taken without her knowledge, which implies a Garden of Eden type of innocence.
Kristen Stewart, Katie Holmes, and the Summer of Break-Up Porn | Tracy Quan | August 13, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
We were just sort of misbehaving; they were the tissue between vertebrae—where the rubber meets the road.
Fight Club Turns 10 | Paul Cullum | November 12, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
Therefore, there is every excuse for a well-designed and properly brought-up carburetor misbehaving itself in an aeroplane.
Aviation Engines | Victor Wilfred Pag
He had feared something worse, but he would almost rather hear of Barbara's misbehaving herself than not hear of her at all.
Lady Lilith | Stephen McKenna
He can't brush his hair, or tie his cravat, or settle his pantaloons, without misbehaving himself.
The Landleaguers | Anthony Trollope
And then with all their talking and all their ease who ever hears of their misbehaving?
The O'Conors of Castle Conor | Anthony Trollope
But I got to misbehaving, and got discharged from there before I was twenty-one.
Steve P. Holcombe, the Converted Gambler | Rev. Gross Alexander

British Dictionary definitions for misbehave

misbehave

/ (ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪv) /

verb

to behave (oneself) badly

Derived forms of misbehave

misbehaver, noun
misbehaviour (ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪvjə), noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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