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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The creators of toxic culture are often known serial offenders who are not challenged on their misbehavior. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 The orienting premise, however, should be unequivocal—that, as far as Washington and its partners are concerned, Houthi misbehavior is being made possible by Tehran—and that, as a result, Tehran holds the key to getting its Yemeni proxy to stand down. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024 Horowitz found no political bias in the FBI's misbehavior, but Patel decided there were darker forces at work. Brian Bennett, TIME, 5 Dec. 2024 Despite warnings about its death rattles due to causes ranging from concussion violence to off-field misbehaviors, professional football keeps dragging everyone else down the field as the most reliable branding vehicle in America. Dale Buss, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near misbehavior

Cite this Entry

“Misbehavior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misbehavior. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on misbehavior

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!