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

• misconduct
• wrongdoing

Examples of misbehavior in a Sentence

would not tolerate any misbehavior from her students

Recent Examples on the Web

But some also questioned how effective the move would be in preventing misbehavior such as vaping. —Bob Skolnik, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025

Glamorizing the executives and stars who participated in or turned a blind eye to misbehavior wasn’t an option. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2025

Commissioner Robert Barton said the main reason for this decision was not the severity of his parents’ murders but his misbehavior in prison. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025

Why are there so many scandalous stories about diva misbehavior? —Morgan Richter, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misbehavior

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