Standard Lemma guide

misbehavior

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪvjə(ɹ)/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvjə/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪvjɚ/
  • Canada, General-American: /ˌmɪsbəˈheɪvjɚ/
  • California: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australian: /ˌmɪsbɪˈhæɪvjə(ɹ)/
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH2 S B AH0 HH EY1 V Y ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: M IH2 S B IY0 HH EY1 V Y ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Action or conduct that is inappropriate, improper, incorrect, or unexpected.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The teacher did not tolerate misbehavior in his classroom.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

improper or wicked or immoral behavior

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: misbehaviour, misdeed

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wrongdoing, wrongful conduct, misconduct, actus reus

Narrower terms: delinquency, juvenile delinquency, mischief, mischief-making, mischievousness, deviltry, devilry, devilment, rascality, roguery, roguishness, shenanigan, ruffianism, familiarity, impropriety, indecorum, liberty, abnormality, irregularity, indecency, indiscretion, peccadillo, infantilism

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth2-der. Proto-Germanic *missaz Proto-Germanic *missa- Proto-West Germanic *missa- Old English mis- Middle English mys- English mis- Proto-Indo-European *h1ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h1épsder. Proto-Indo-European *h1epider. Proto-Indo-European *h1pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan Old English behabban Middle English behaven Proto-Indo-European *gheh1bh- Proto-Indo-European *-éh1ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh1yeti Proto-Indo-European *ghh1bhéh1yeti Proto-Italic *haβēō Latin habeō Old French avoirbor. Middle English havour Middle English behavoure English behavior English misbehavior From mis- + behavior.

Across languages

Translations

31 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: лошо държание (lošo dǎržanie) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不當行為 — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不当行为 (bùdàng xíngwéi) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 行為不端 — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 行为不端 (xíngwéi bùduān) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不良行为 — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不良行為 (bùliáng xíngwéi) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Danish: dårlig opførsel — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Dutch: wangedrag — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Finnish: huono käytös — conduct that is inappropriate
  • French: inconduite — conduct that is inappropriate
  • German: schlechtes Benehmen — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Hindi: दुराचार (durācār) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Hindi: दुर्व्यवहार (durvyavhār) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Hungarian: illetlen viselkedés — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Italian: illecito — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Italian: scorrettezza — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Italian: comportamento scorretto — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Italian: cattiva condotta — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Japanese: 不正行為 (fusei kōi) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Japanese: 違法行為 (ihō kōi) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Malayalam: ദുസ്സ്വഭാവം (dussvabhāvaṁ) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Norwegian: dårlig oppførsel — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Polish: złe zachowanie — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Portuguese: má conduta — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Russian: недосто́йное поведе́ние (nedostójnoje povedénije) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Russian: просту́пок (prostúpok) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Russian: плохо́е поведе́ние (ploxóje povedénije) — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Spanish: mal comportamiento — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Swedish: misskötsamhet — conduct that is inappropriate
  • Ukrainian: погана поведінка (pohana povedinka) — conduct that is inappropriate
Real reading context

misbehavior in complete knowledge articles