misbehavior
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of misbehavior
Explanation
When you do something wrong or bad, that's misbehavior. If your little brother hides your homework, intentionally dumps his cereal on the floor, and draws on the walls with permanent marker, you might say he's an expert in misbehavior. Whether an activity is mere naughtiness or more significant misconduct, it all falls under the category of misbehavior. When a politician pays someone to stay quiet about his misbehavior, he's added additional misbehavior to the record. If you know that behavior means the way you act, it's easy to see what happens when you add the prefix mis-, meaning "bad".
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The dirt-bike culture of the 1970s eventually faced its own reckoning when misbehavior, noise complaints and safety concerns led to a spate of restrictions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
It’s 1983 in Galashiels, Scotland, and his involuntary movements and outbursts are seen as misbehavior, teenage rebellion, and treated in kind.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
She understood that despite the character’s misbehavior in the series — like breaking into her boss’ office — she’s decently good at her job.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026
The Gateway Pundit The Gateway Pundit often makes lazy mistakes: It once falsely accused a Washington Post editor of misbehavior during a confirmation hearing when that reporter wasn’t at that hearing.
From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2025
No one was lecturing us about misbehavior or consequences.
From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon
Tellingly, this is the only time you really see Tomas at work, but his personal and professional misbehaviors turn out to be very much of a piece.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2023
In December, the principal ordered a disciplinary hearing, citing his "multiple misbehaviors."
From Salon ● Dec. 22, 2022
BlackRock Inc Chief Executive Larry Fink said on Wednesday that there appear to have been "misbehaviors" by the now-bankrupt FTX crypto exchange, but that the technology behind crypto is relevant for the future.
From Reuters ● Nov. 30, 2022
Sasha Sloan begins this song detailing a laundry list of misbehaviors and irritations, a knowing confession of failure to rise to the responsibilities of a relationship.
From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2021
But, after all, young Dalhousie's dissolute misbehaviors were so well known, nobody could possibly ...
From V. V.'s Eyes by Harrison, Henry Sydnor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
