misbehavior

noun

mis·​be·​hav·​ior ˌmis-bi-ˈhā-vyər 

-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

Synonyms

• malfeasance
• misconduct
• misdoing
• wrongdoing

Examples of misbehavior in a Sentence

would not tolerate any misbehavior from her students

Recent Examples on the Web

The Magazine Dreams press run has seen Majors portraying himself as a flawed but fundamentally good man who can transcend his past misbehavior. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025

Consumer complaints about corporate misbehavior have by some measures reached all-time highs. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2025

Giving them enough exercise and mental stimulation can help prevent misbehavior. —Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025

Democrats, however, panned Hegseth as completely unqualified and unfit to lead the nation’s armed forces given his lack of managerial experience and multiple allegations of misbehavior. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misbehavior

• misbehaviour
• behavior
• behaviour
• havior
• savior
• saviour