Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

troublemaker

American  
[truhb-uhl-mey-ker] / ˈtrʌb əlˌmeɪ kər /

noun

  1. a person who causes difficulties, distress, worry, etc., for others, especially one who does so habitually as a matter of malice.

    Synonyms:
    rabble-rouser, inciter, fomenter, instigator
troublemaker British  
/ ˈtrʌbəlˌmeɪkə /

noun

  1. a person who makes trouble, esp between people

"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

Other Word Forms

  • troublemaking noun

Etymology

Origin of troublemaker

First recorded in 1910–15; trouble + maker

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.

When troublemaker Arlene moves in across the street to live with her father, Maria falls helplessly under her corrupting influence.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Kyle's family described him as "brilliant" and a "troublemaker", adding "his personality shone right through".

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2025

Sharp’s strategy reminds me of a prediction Charley Richardson, a very good troublemaker who co-founded Military Families Speak Out, made to me long ago.

From Salon • Sep. 30, 2025

He testified his relationship with the company began breaking down in 2016 because he raised concerns about safety, saying he was probably labelled "the troublemaker" for being outspoken.

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2024

With the bored indifference that cats exhibit even when they are doing as they have been told, the feline troublemaker moseyed over to Cassiopeia and allowed herself to be picked up.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

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.