naughty
Americanadjective
-
(esp of children or their behaviour) mischievous or disobedient; bad
-
mildly indecent; titillating
noun
Usage
What does naughty mean? Naughty means disobedient, mischievous, or generally misbehaving, particularly when applied to children.Naughty is usually used in reference to misbehavior that’s minor or mischievous, as opposed to more serious disobedience. In this way, it’s also sometimes applied to pets.Example: If you kids start to get naughty before bedtime, I’m going to take away your TV privileges. In a much different context, naughty is used to describe things that are sexually suggestive, as in naughty jokes, or things that pertain to sex, often in a way that’s hidden, forbidden, or secret. In this way, it is often used playfully or as a euphemism (a milder substitute of what is being referred to).Example: Oh my God, have you two been doing naughty stuff in the supply shed?
Other Word Forms
- naughtily adverb
- naughtiness noun
Etymology
Origin of naughty
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.
"I was always having to kick off and scream like a naughty child to get someone to listen to me."
From BBC
Still, with the help of Wall Street, it’s possible to develop a Santa-like list of nice and naughty names.
From Barron's
Mia says she first got a taste for embroidery aged six when her stern Swedish grandmother, Greta, gave her some sewing to do "when I might have been naughty".
From BBC
Tesla is considered the ‘naughtiest’ Magnificent Seven stock, with only 45% Buy ratings and an average target price below its current trading price.
From Barron's
It’s still unclear whether this storm will be naughty — with torrential downpours intense enough to cause flooding and mud or debris flows or nice, with gentle rainfall spread out beneficially over a period of days.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
