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

Student conferences, like the one after the fight during football, are just one piece of a much larger effort aimed at preventing and addressing misbehavior. —Ariel Gilreath, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024

Defense attorneys said prosecutors’ misbehavior robs defendants of a fair trial, and could lead to an innocent person being framed. —Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 2 July 2024

As school districts search for ways to cope with the increase in student misbehavior that followed the pandemic, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s experience offers insight into whether banning such suspensions is effective and under what conditions. —Gail Cornwall, USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024

As a result, Moscow would refrain from misbehavior because the cost would be too high. —Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1