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 show, which originally aired in 1992 and ran for six seasons on the BBC, follows the misbehaviors of two middle aged women: Patsy Stone and Eddy Monsoon. Andrew McGowan, Variety, 10 July 2025 The Grok account shared a statement on Tuesday afternoon about the bot’s extreme misbehavior. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025 His uncontrollable emotions led to misbehavior at Liberty High School, and Charles was moved to the Department of Youth Services in a residential treatment program to correct his behavior. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025 See behavior as a signal, not a threat Instead of viewing misbehavior as disrespect, emotionally safe parents see it as communication — a request for support, not punishment. Reem Raouda, CNBC, 25 May 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Misbehavior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misbehavior. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

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